Pepper's Secret
by ilikegoo
Summary: Tony discovers a secret that Pepper has been hiding for 10 years and it changes the whole game.
1. Chapter 1

**If you're reading 'The Journey' I've not forgotten it, I'm just trying to plan out the next few chapters. It was going well until I read a few stories on fanfiction and my mind wandered. I'd credit the authors for their excellent work but I honestly can't remember which stories they are. Watch this space though. Credit will be given I promise. **

**Who Not What**

"mmmmm 'lo?" Pepper mumbled in to her blackberry

"_Pepper its Tony. It's an emergency I need you over here right now." _

"Tony?"

"_Seriously Potts, get over here right now."_

"Tony I can't it's…" She looked at her clock "2:30am, I already told you earlier I can't work tonight. Personal reasons before you ask."

"_Pepper, I'm not joking this really is important. It's life or death. I really need you to drag your butt out of bed and get over here before Stark Industries goes in to total meltdown."_

"Fine, but you're paying me over time and I'm taking the weekend off."

"_Will that be all Miss Potts?"_

"For now Mr Stark I'll be over as quick as possible."

Pepper got up and got organised and managed to from her condo in Santa Monica to Tony's Malibu mansion quickly as the roads were empty at this time of night. She deposited some stuff in the room Tony kept for her and went down to his workshop where she found him (rather surprisingly) dressed and talking furiously in Japanese.

"Arigato Mr Takahashi." Tony said the exasperation evident in his voice

"_Do_ _itashimashite Mr Stark. __Oyasuminasai." _

"Tony why are you on the phone to Yamato Takahashi at 3:30am?" She was confused Mr Takahashi was the head of Takahashi Research, a small research company in Japan that had Stark Industries as its parent company.

"There was a bombing, Aum Shinrikyo has claimed responsibility, apparently some of the work they were doing on some GM crops is a dark conspiracy, that we're messing with God's work and that we're encouraging other people to sin. Our Karma was bad so they blew up a building to right it." He rubbed his hands against his temple

"I'll start drafting a statement to release I'm assuming you're going to want to go out to Japan?" She asked.

"Yeah I'll take the Jet out tomorrow evening, deal with things this side of the Pacific first. Give you time to go home and pack, I don't know how long we're going to be there."

"Tony I can't go to Japan."

"Why not?"

"It's complicated."

"In what way? I need you with me in Japan."

"It's personal."

"Something against the Japanese? That why you're not too keen on sushi? Wouldn't have pegged you as a xenophobe Miss Potts."

"I've got nothing against them, it's just…Oh God. I didn't want you to find out this way."

"Pepper?"

"Come with me." She held out a hand and pulled him from his chair, leading him upstairs. They entered Pepper's room, at least that's what Tony called it, and in the middle of the bed was a small lump.

"What is it?" Tony asked

"Not What Tony. Who."

"You're confusing me Potts. That's not an easy thing to do; I'm a genius, an actual certified MENSA member genius."

"His name is Adam and he's my son."

Tony stared at her, like she'd grown an extra head. Son? How was this possible? In the 10 years she'd worked for him she'd barely taken more than 2 weeks off in one go, and Tony liked to think he'd have noticed if she was pregnant.

"Pepper?" Tony turned to look at her and she pulled him out of the room before he woke the sleeping boy up. They went down to the kitchen where Pepper pulled out a bottle of scotch, Tony quirked an eyebrow at her.

"He's 12 nearly 13." She started. "I fell pregnant my senior year of college, I'd be seeing this guy since high school he was at Harvard and me Stanford. I guess we got a little carless at Spring Break. Anyway when we found out Ricky proposed, he said he was planning it anyway, although I doubt it, and then I got offered the accountancy job at Stark so he relocated to UCLA to do his MBA and we got married just after graduation. Then Adam was born and things were ok for a while, but Ricky and I, we were never good at the relationship stuff sort of fell apart he works for Occidental Petroleum so we were both busy all the time…" Pepper was ranting now

"…but anyway between him getting his feet wet on the corporate ladder and me really starting to get in to it at SI, we were arguing more and we got divorced. He got remarried last week and they're on their honeymoon, I don't know where but I've got Adam for 2 weeks and I can't go to Japan." She downed the shot of scotch and Tony instinctively refilled her glass.

He was in total shock, Pepper hard worked for Stark Industries for 12 and half years, him personally for 10 of those and he had no idea she had a child, let alone that she was divorced, he finished his shot and poured another.

"I'm going to bed." She announced, he did nothing to stop her and when he was sure she was gone, he retreated to his workshop.

"Jarvis, pull up everything on the lovely Miss Potts, I need to see what I'm working with here."

"Of course Sir, but may I ask why?"

"I don't like not knowing things."

Jarvis pulled the information up and Tony projected the holographic images in front of him.

He found a marriage licence for Miss Virginia Anne Cooper and Mr Richard David Potts, he couldn't believe it Potts was her married name, she'd never changed it back to her maiden name. He saw the birth certificate for Adam Richard Potts and the divorce citing irreconcilable differences as well as the custody agreement for Adam, she had joint custody with Richard but she was the primary carer. He poured another glass of scotch and sat and stared at this whole life Pepper had kept secret from him.

About 7:15am Tony heard movement from upstairs and cautiously went upstairs. Pepper was in the kitchen and Adam was sat eating some toast, she poured Tony a mug of coffee, he took and sat opposite the child.

"Sup?" Adam greeted

"Sup." Tony responded.

"Adam go shower."

"Didn't bring a towel." Tony couldn't help but smirk, he remembered being 12, showering was an inconvenience; he didn't see the point he was only going to get dirty again.

"You can use my bathroom. There are clean towels and shower gel and shampoo…" Tony trailed off

"Thanks bro."

"Adam." Pepper said sternly.

"Sorry, thank you Mr Stark." He tried again.

"Tony's fine or bro. Whatever works for you…" Pepper shot him a glare

"Good Morning, the time is 7:30am and the weather in Malibu is 49 degrees Fahrenheit with a slight Southern breeze and clear skies." Jarvis was programmed to go off at 7:30 on a work day.

"What the…?" Adam would've cussed but the glare from his mother cut him short.

Tony couldn't help but smile, he liked the kid. "That's JARVIS, stands for Just A Really Very Intelligent System. He's an AI, he runs my house."

"That's pretty cool." Adam replied.

"Adam, come on I'll show you where you're going." Pepper needed to end this right away, she could deal with Adam not wanting to go to school and Tony not wanting to work, when the two were not occurring at the same time, but when they happened together it was not good.

She came back downstairs and Tony was once again staring at her.

"How did I not know about him?"

"There wasn't really any vetting before I became your PA."

_Flashback_

"_I made a fool of myself." Pepper put her head against the desk. She was having a bad week, Ricky was being stubborn over the terms of their divorce, Adam had run head long in to his terrible two's._

"_Can't be that bad Ginny." Her friend Sarah said from her own desk. "I mean the man prides himself on never making a math error, so you did him a favour showing him personally instead of letting it come out on its own."_

_Pepper groaned. She'd noticed a discrepancy on an invoice, an invoice created by Tony Stark himself, so she showed him, but not before threatening a security guard with the pepper spray given to her by her mother when she'd moved to LA. _

_The door to the office opened and Tony Stark stuck his head in. "Hey uh you….Pepper Spray." Pepper looked up at him "You don't work here anymore." She opened her mouth in shock, had he really just fired her? "Move all your crap to the empty office next to mine. I need a new PA, you've got…spunk. First job, fill out all the paper work for inter-departmental transfer, I'll sign it tomorrow." _

_No he hadn't fired her. _

_Flashback_

"I probably should've done that." He stated.

Adam came back down after his shower to find his Mom and her boss talking business.

"How am I getting to school?" He asked as he took a seat next to Tony. "I'm all for ditching, but mom I know you're not cool with that, but I gotta be there soon."

"I'll take him." Tony volunteered surprising himself and his two houseguests.

"That's ok Tony…"

"No offence Potts, you drive like my grandmother and not the Italian one." Adam snickered at Tony's (accurate) description of Pepper's driving skills.

"No Tony, I just don't break the law."

"Come on Pepper, how cool is it to get dropped off by the legendary Tony Stark in my shiny new Audi."

Pepper reluctantly agreed, he'd get her son to school on time, and she'd be able to sort everything out for his upcoming trip to Japan.

Over the next month Adam became a frequent visitor to Stark Mansion (especially after a suspension for "accidentally" melting part of workbench in chemistry), and Tony had to admit he liked the kid, he was the anti-Pepper, and they shared a similar taste in music and fast cars. Then everything changed.

One morning after Pepper had taken out the trash, some vanity fair reporter whose name he couldn't remember, and she'd shouted at him because he wasn't on his aeroplane heading for Afghanistan he'd heard her on the phone.

"It's not good enough Ricky." She snapped. "He's our son…he's a handful yes…I don't care if Bobbi Big Boobs or…yes I know that's not her name…I wasn't ready to be a mother…he's still your child…oh it's clear who he gets that from…fine abandon him…moving to Saudi Arabia is abandoning him…I'm not telling him…You're the one leaving…" Tony had heard enough, he decided at this point the best thing to do would be to get ready for his weapons demonstration.

"Wait, you're telling me that Pepper Potts, the same Pepper Potts who has worked for you for the last 10 years has an ex-husband and a, let me get this right, really cool kid that you had no clue about?" Rhodey and Tony were on their sixth or sixteenth (Tony lost count) Saki bomb.

"Yup."

"Damn."

Rhodey would later call Pepper, not to talk about the child he had no clue about, but because Tony had been taken and he had no clue where he was.

_**TBC…**_

**Ok, so yeah. Chapter One. Um… it turns everything on its head, I'll be following the plot of the movies from now. Feedback is really appreciated because this story is way out in Left Field and I'm a little nervous.**

**Japanese stuff**

**Aum Shinrikyo are a real terrorist organisation in Japan, they're not really relevant to the story I just needed a way to lead in to Tony's discovery. **

_**Arigato**_** is the shortened form of **_**Domo Arigato**_** that Japanese for Thank you**

_**Do**__**itashimashite **__**means you're welcome **_

_**Oyasuminasai **_**means good night **


	2. Chapter 2

**Oh god how many times did I use the phrase "no clue" in that last chapter? Accidentally melting a work bench in chemistry…true story. I wasn't suspended just…removed from chemistry for a month but the work bench was really just the icing on the cake. **

**Iron Man**

It was by far the worst 3 months of her life. She still went to Tony's house every day, still checked his emails, although after the first two weeks they began to dwindle when he wasn't immediately found, she called Rhodey every day. He was still on the ground in Afghanistan heading the search for Tony Stark; he could offer very little comfort.

It was also a difficult time for Adam, his father had finally told him that he was moving overseas and there was nothing that the boy could do to stop it and that he'd see him when he came to visit for a few weeks, but he'd also noticed his mom's mood, she was sad. All the time. She also told him no, every time he asked to go over just to work on Tony's hot rod, but the one day he did go over he snuck in to the house quietly, JARVIS was offline, and went upstairs to grab the t-shirt he'd left in Pepper's room so that his wouldn't get all grease covered. That's when he heard it, the muffled sobbing sounds coming from Tony's room, he peaked through the crack in the door and he saw her lying on the bed crying. He backed away and quickly left before Pepper realised she wasn't alone.

Adam would never know that wasn't the first time that she'd gone to Tony's room to just let out the emotions she was feeling. It was later that evening when she received the phone call that she'd been waiting for.

"_Hey Pepper." _

"Jim, any news?"

"_We found him. He's alive and on a flight to Germany. They'll check him over and if there's no problems then we'll get him home in the next few days, I'll call when we know more." _

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

"_I gotta go Pepper, we're getting ready for take-off."_

"Bye Rhodey."

It was a few days later she found herself stood nervously as the ramp on the back of the C-17 was lowered, the sadness, which had been present on her face the last 3 months, changed to one of happiness as he walked (albeit supported by Rhodey) over to where she was stood.

"Your eyes are red. A few tears for your long lost boss?" He asked, he looked serious, but she knew him better than to think that.

"Tears of joy, I hate job hunting." She replied, still smiling

"Yeah vacations over." She followed him the car, tried and failed to get him to agree to go to the hospital, but ended up spending the car ride organising a press conference, barely remembering to give Obadiah Stane a heads up.

"When can I go over?" Adam asked

"Let him have time to adjust to being home." Pepper said as she plated up dinner for the two.

"But we're behind on the car, I fixed the compression in cylinder 3 whilst he was away…" he trailed off; Pepper wasn't meant to know he'd been at the mansion.

"You did what?" She gave him a stern look "I told you, you couldn't go over when Tony isn't there."

"But Mom…"

"No 'but Mom' I told you and you didn't listen."

"I'm sorry." He tried

"You're still grounded this weekend." She gave him the food and they ate in silence as he sulked.

The day after Tony's disastrous press conference Pepper was stood over him in her hand dripping with the discharge from Tony's chest piece

"Are you ok?" she asked, she'd just had her hand inside him and sent him in to cardiac arrest.

"Yeah I feel great." It was a little lie, it had hurt when she pulled out the magnet. He just looked at her, hands dripping with puss and he couldn't help but laugh.

Pepper returned the smile but told him "don't ever, ever…ever ask me to do anything like that again." She wasn't joking.

His face fell a little. "I don't have anybody but you. Their eyes met and he smiled at her before he jumped up and pulled off the wires "anyway…" he trailed off as he started organising himself.

"What do you want to do with this?" She held up the discarded arc reactor, he analysed it briefly.

"Incinerate it."

"You don't want to keep it?" She asked, the thing had saved his life, helped him escape.

"Pepper I've been called many things in my life, nostalgic, is not one of them." He told her.

She looked from the reactor to him. "Will that be all Mr Stark?"

"That will be all Ms Potts." He summoned Butterfingers and looked at his desk. "What's all this stuff on doing on my desk? That's my phone, a picture of me and my dad…" he pointed to the two items, sweeping his hand over everything else. "All this garbage." Pepper turned to leave. "Pepper, tell Adam he did a good job on the compression cylinders."

"He really said I did a good job?" Adam asked from the seat next to Pepper in the car.

"Yeah, he told me tell you that you did a good job." Pepper was glad to see her son so excited.

"Awesome, he's like a total genius. Did you know that he built an engine at the age of six? And he went to MIT and graduated when he was like 17." He was talking really fast.

"I did know that, have you been researching him?" Pepper asked, slightly concerned what exactly he'd found out.

"Yeah I googled him. When can I go over? I really wanna help with the car."

"I'll talk to him see when he's free."

"Awesome." He was relatively silent after that texting his friends, presumably bragging about getting to hang out with Tony Stark.

Pepper balanced a box in one hand as she walked down the stairs to see Tony strapping his arm in to some strange contraption with a light on the end, it looked pretty dangerous.

"Did you not hear me buzzing you? On the intercom?" She asked him, eyeing up the strange device. "Obadiah is upstairs."

He kept tinkering with the weapon. "Great I'll be right up."

"I thought you were done making weapons anymore?"

"It's not a weapon, it's a flight stabiliser. Completely harmless." Why is it attached to your arm then? She thought. She was going to bring it up with him when there was a burst of light and he flew backwards. "I didn't expect that." He said from the floor whilst she rose from her cowering position.

She was sat on the couch listening to Obadiah play the piano when Tony finally came up from the workshop. Which he promptly returned to after Obadiah broke the news of the board's feelings towards his decision. Pepper finished some work before she went down to bid him goodnight.

"I'm going to go home now." He glanced at the time, it was 11pm.

"Adam waiting?" He asked casually.

"No actually, Ricky…" He grimaced at the mention of the man's name, he felt a small stab of jealousy as well which had been happening more and more, "…is looking after him for a few days. He leaves on Sunday for Saudi Arabia so wanted to see Adam before he left. Now if there's nothing else I'd like to go home."

"No, that will be all Ms Potts. You can leave." He smiled before returning to his work.

"Actually Tony, Adam would like to come over and work on the car some more, if that's ok with you."

He thought about it for a moment, the hot rod was getting a little neglected whilst he worked on his new project. "Uh sure, he can come over whenever. Just let me know."

Tony was sat icing his shoulder trying after the first test of the new suit when he heard the TV mention his name. Apparently it was the annual fire fighters benefit, not that Pepper or anybody else for that matter had bothered to mention it to him. So he found himself racing down the streets of LA to the Disney Concert Hall on a Saturday night, where after greeting a confused Hugh Hefner and being approached by a fed, strategic homeland something or another, he was walking towards a gorgeous Pepper Potts, who was wearing a blue backless dress.

"You look fantastic I didn't recognise you." He said loudly as she spun around to look at him.

"What are you doing here?" She was surprised to see him, he'd barely left the mansion since he returned.

"Just avoiding government agents" he joked.

"Are you by yourself?" She asked it was unusual for him to show up to these events alone.

"Where did you get this dress?" He cut her off, before she could start asking why he was alone, and it wasn't because he couldn't find a date (He's Tony Stark for goodness sake).

"It was a birthday present…from you actually." He grinned, remembering the conversation the morning he left for Afghanistan. He'd have been jealous had he not known her plans probably involved a 12 year old boy.

"Well I've got great taste." He argued, knowing that she'd picked the dress and paid for it with a shiny black card reading Anthony E Stark.

"Yes you do." Pepper wondered why she was flirting back, this type of banter between the two was normal, the tone however was not, nor was the way Tony was devouring her with his eyes.

"You uh…want to dance?" He asked

"Oh err no, thank you…" She stared.

"Great come on." He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the dance floor, she was rigid he noticed. He didn't see the smile she was trying to hide though.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"Oh, uh…no. I always forget to wear deodorant and dance with my boss in front of everyone that I work with, in a dress with no back."

"You look great. You smell great." He briefly heard her mutter oh god. "I could fire you if that would make you feel better."

She smiled. "I actually don't think you could tie your shoes without me."

"I'd make it a week." He was confident he could do it.

"Oh really what's your social security number?"

He thought for a moment. "5"

She smiled again "5? You're missing a couple of digits."

"The other 8?" He asked, Pepper was surprised he knew how many digits there were. "I've got you for the other 8." The last sentence defeated his argument, but he needed her to know, in a roundabout kind of way, that he needed her.

He looked at her and was filled with a desire to kiss her, which wouldn't go down well with Pepper when they were in a room full of people. "Do you want to get a little air?" There was a balcony and hopefully it would be a little more private.

So he took her upstairs where she had a minor meltdown before they both leaned in to the kiss and then she pulled away, sent him for a martini and he never returned.

"This is not the worst thing you've caught me doing." He looked at her as she stared, in shock, at him having the suit pulled off by the robots.

"Are those bullet holes?" She had to ask. The worry was evident on her face.

"Nope, just had a little accident nothing to worry about. I promise."

"Tony…"

"Pepper, I am fine, don't worry."

She shook her head, but was unable to shake the worry. "Adam is on his way over he'd like to work on the car."

"That's fine. Let me get out of the suit. Give me uh…20 minutes."

"That's fine it'll take him longer to get here."

Tony was playing with the image on the screen as Adam tightened some screws in the engine.

"What's going on between you and my mom?" He asked suddenly.

"What?"

"You and my Mom." Adam said again.

"Uh…nothing, she's my friend."

"Riiiiight."

"What makes you ask?"

"I dunno, you're always really flirty with her and when you were gone she was super sad, like I saw her once, crying on your bed. She's always here too." Tony said nothing as he tried to process the information. All that was said after that was Tony's directions on how to repair the hot rod engine and Adam's occasional mechanical questions.

Pepper Potts was terrified right now. She'd seen Obadiah fall from the sky followed shortly thereafter by Tony. She was panicking then she heard his voice come through on her hands free headset "Potts…"

"Tony oh my God, are you ok?"

"I'm almost out of power I've got to get out of this thing." He pulled off a gauntlet and lifted his mask. Before shutting it again almost instantly as Obadiah came up behind him. The next thing Pepper knew she was pulling switches and hitting buttons waiting for Tony's signal to blow the roof completely oblivious to him lying on the roof above her.

"It's ready Tony get off the roof!" She yelled, only then did she look up to see him and the tracers on the bullets as they flew past him, deflected by the suit. Then the ceiling shattered and she screamed he held on to the metal beams which had supported the glass above the SI Arc Reactor.

"Tony!" She yelled, barely able to hear Obadiah's taunting speech.

"Pepper!" He called back "Time to hit the button!"

"You told me not to!" She shouted back

This is not the time to argue, he thought "Just do it!"

"You'll die!" The idea terrified her

"Just push it!" And push it she did, the initial blast threw Tony back, hit Obadiah and continued in to the sky for everybody in LA to see.

Pepper didn't see Obadiah fall in to the damaged reactor, she did see the fireball erupt in the sky. Tony didn't hear her anguished and worried cry of "Tony." But he remembered waking up in his bed, bruised and bandaged, her used coffee mug on the side told him she had been there.

He got up, everything aching and he walked across to her room and saw Adam sleeping under the covers and Pepper lying on the bed next to him, just staring at him.

"You're ok?" He asked

"I'm fine." She saw look at the sleeping boy. "He was worried when I wasn't home and rode his bike here, I didn't want to wake him." She pondered for a moment. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, just a little banged up."

"Rhodey called, there's a press conference later this afternoon."

"Ok, I'll be working on the car. If you can tell him." He pointed to Adam. Pepper could barely hide the smile, she'd been worried what Tony would be like when he found out about her child, and so far he'd been great.

Phil Coulson handed Tony his alibi explain it to him. "See I was thinking we should say it was just Pepper and me alone on the island." Tony said and the waxing strip was ripped off his eyebrow harder than necessary, but she had a point to get across.

She saw Phil out and then turned her attention back to Tony "Right let's get this show on the road."

"It's not that bad, even I don't think I'm Iron Man." He let her help him with his jacket.

"You're not Iron Man."

"I am so…"

"Not." She cut across him

"Alright suit yourself. You know if I was Iron Man I'd have this girlfriend who knew my secret identity and she'd always be worrying yet so proud of the man I've become. She'd be wildly conflicted which would only make her more crazy about me. Tell me you never think about that night."

"What night?"

"You know…" he said suggestively

"Are you talking about….the night that we danced and went up on the roof and you went downstairs to get me a drink and you left me there by myself? Is that the night you're talking about?"

Well played Potts, he thought "Um hmm."

"Thought so." She was smiling slightly and continued to brush his jacket.

"Will that be all Mr…"

"Yes that will be Miss Potts."

She was willing him to read the cards, Rhodey was telling him to the read the cards. That's when he said it "The truth is…I am Iron Man."

Later on the car ride back Tony's phone buzzed with a text message.

"She's going to pissed at you dude." It was from Adam.

**TBC…**

**Next Chapter there's a birthday party and Iron Man 2. Feedback appreciated =)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N So I'm really enjoying the feedback I'm getting from this story. I'm starting to understand where I'm going with it now. This chapter is just a filler between the two Iron Man movies so enjoy =)**

**Spring Break**

Pepper tapped her foot impatiently waiting for Adam to come off the plane. He'd spent a week in Saudi Arabia with his father and was now coming home to spend the remainder of his vacation with his mother and hopefully the hot rod her boss was letting him help with.

"Hey Mom!" Adam called as he disembarked Tony's private jet, Pepper had tried to persuade him that sending the jet was unnecessary and waste of resources but he'd convinced her that the point of owning that aircraft was to ferry him and his friends and family around the world.

"Did you have fun?"

"Nah, Dad tried to teach me to play golf it was so lame."

"I'm sure you did more than that."

"Not really, just hung around the pool mostly. I didn't really feel like shopping with Bambi."

Pepper cringed at the sound of her ex-husbands new twenty something wife, although she knew about Adam's lack of interest in whatever activity he suggested for them to do.

_**Flashback**_

"_Virginia, honestly he just bums around the pool all the time, I tried bonding with him but he didn't seem interested in golf. Bambi…" Pepper cringed at the name "offered to take him shopping in Bahrain with her…" She listened to Ricky ramble on about their son and his laziness. _

"_He likes cars." Pepper said, hoping it would be helpful. _

"_He's too young to drive them. Besides do you realise how awkward it is to get from Damman to Bahrain, kill the tyres on the track then drive back?"_

_Pepper shook her head, Ricky was never in to the whole fast cars thing. He drove a pretty nice car because it was expected but unlike Tony he never really focused on the supercars."_

_**End Flashback**_

"Tomorrow can I go over to Mr Stark's and work on the car?" He asked enthusiastically although it was obvious he was exhausted after his flight.

"Maybe." Pepper told him, although part of the reason she sent him around the world was to get away from Tony, he was always attractive to the press but ever since he came out as Iron Man she wanted to keep as low a profile as possible.

"That's a no." Adam huffed.

"We'll see how you feel." Pepper conceded although she was fairly sure he would be too tired to go to Tony's especially when the jet lag caught up with him.

It would appear that she was wrong. Adam bounded down the stairs the next morning full of energy, Pepper was convinced that this should be an impossible feat although she'd seen Tony pull off similar after they flew back from Dubai.

"Are you working today?" He asked

"I was planning on spending some time with you." Pepper said.

"Mr Stark text, wants to know if I'd like to go over to the Stark Racing garage. They're getting ready for Monaco." He sounded so enthusiastic, the opposite of how his father had described him at the idea of going to see the race car that Pepper agreed they could go. She wasn't going to trust Tony, her son and a race car anytime soon.

The next day Pepper and Adam arrived at Stark Mansion, Adam immediately went downstairs punching in the code that Tony had given him and immediately went over to the hot rod to have a little look before they left for the Stark Racing Facility on the SI grounds. Pepper went upstairs to the office that had been set up for her to use when she and Tony were working from home and this is where Tony found her 20 minutes later.

"Working already Pep?"

"Not really, you're not paying me today so I thought I'd organise Adam's birthday party whilst we waited for you sleeping beauty."

"I like parties." He smiled at Pepper

"This is a party for a 13 year old boy Tony." She could see large party plans forming in his mind. "He's having some friends over there will be food in my backyard and everything will run smoothly." Tony was unsure of who she was trying to convince.

"What does he want for his birthday?" Tony asked

"You're buying him a gift?" Pepper asked

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" She had no answer, and he wasn't interested in hearing her answer. "We should go soon. Where's Adam?"

"In your workshop, probably working on the car." Pepper told him.

"Well, let's go! I wanna see my race car!" He pulled her out of her seat and dragged her down towards the workshop and in to Pepper's car, with a little protest from her about her driving it.

"Happy's got the day off and I've seen road kill roll up the road quicker than you drive."

Adam snorted from the backseat and talked about the hot rod the whole way to Stark Industries. Once they were there they looked around and Tony worked with the engineers and Adam played on the virtual simulator taking the car to its (often fiery) limits.

"So when's the party?" Tony asked Pepper, Adam had crashed in the backseat.

"Friday afternoon 3pm." Pepper looked at Tony, she'd convinced him to let her drive him home. Tony just nodded and bid the Pepper and Adam goodbye once they reached the mansion. Later that evening he was sat in the workshop looking at the car he was now teaching Adam to restore, much in the same way that his father had taught him and he looked at the box of tools next to it, they were old and they were beaten but they were the first tool set he'd ever been given. That's when he had the idea.

"JARVIS pull up the Stanley tools website" He saw the 150 piece mechanics tool set, it was perfect "JARVIS lets add the 150 piece set in to the basket and add a tool box, make it that nice one with the tray." JARVIS continued the purchasing process and chose express delivery. Feeling proud of himself he decided he could dedicate some time to his suits instead of the mountain of paperwork that Pepper had thrown on his desk informing him to read through for the meeting he would be having next week.

Friday afternoon came and Tony loaded the now wrapped tool kit in to his R8 and sped out of the garage towards Pepper's house, after confirming the address from JARVIS, he'd only ever known Happy to drop her off there. He pulled up and up to the house grinning at the customary balloon attached to the mail box indicating which house the party he was crashing was out.

He parked in the drive and grinned at the very surprised woman who was dropping her son off at the party, he followed the boy round to the back yard. He scanned the yard for Pepper seeing her sat on a lawn chair watching the flag football game taking place.

"I hope that's just orange juice Miss Potts." She jumped when she heard his voice and looked at him with the big package in his arm.

"What on earth did you get him?" She asked worriedly

"You'll have to wait and see."

"Tony!" Adam rushed away from the game seeing who had arrived.

"Sup." Tony greeted, high fiving him.

"Mom can we open the gifts yet?" He gave her the biggest puppy dog eyes he could manage.

"Yeah Pepper, can we open the gifts yet?"

"Fine." She looked at Tony, "There's some beer in the fridge if you're thirsty."

They followed Adam over the pile of birthday presents where he was soon surrounded by his friends. He opened a new set of trucks for his skateboard and a puncture repair kit amongst other things from his friends and a new iPhone from Pepper, when Tony placed the large box on the table.

He tore at the paper and looked at the new, stocked up tool kit. "Perfect for car repairs." Tony said.

"For me?" He asked awestruck by the present.

"Yeah Adam." He felt proud and he chanced a glance at Pepper whose smile told him that it was the perfect gift.

"Can I, uh, keep it at yours?"

"Yeah I'll take it back with me, you should go see your friends I've got some stuff to talk to your mom about it." Adam nodded and took off to see his friends, Tony made his way over to Pepper.

"So you mentioned a beer?" Tony said.

"In the fridge, through those doors." She pointed at a set of double patio doors.

"Join me?" He asked

"I'm supervising the party Tony."

"They're 13 Pepper, you're cramping the kid's style."

"I really think I should stay."

"Pep, we'll be in the kitchen."

"Fine one beer." She followed him in the kitchen.

"Dude is your mom banging Iron Man?" One of the kids at the party asked

"Nah, bro they're just friends." Adam replied as the kids at the party geared up for spin the bottle.

"Adam your mom is hot." The same kid replied.

"Shut up." Adam said.

Tony and Pepper sat in the kitchen sharing an awkward beer.

"You've got a really cool kid Potts."

"Thank you. He really looks up to you, you know." She smiled at the blush that threatened to creep up Tony's neck.

"Nah, I just let him get greasy. See the good stuff on the internet." The smile that broke out betrayed the serious tone in his voice.

The pair started to laugh and then caught each other's eyes and Tony was going to close the gap between them when a large bang from outside had Pepper out of her seat and out in the yard before he realised what was happening.

He let out a frustrated sigh as Pepper dealt with whatever crisis was going on outside. She decided that after the boys managed to destroy one of her lawn chairs in order to impress the few girls at the party that they could no longer be trusted to remain outside alone. So Tony found himself supervising a party that was full of kids on a Friday afternoon at what should've been happy hour in any bar.

Tony said goodbye to Pepper and Adam, reminding them both about the expo next week and after a pointed look from Adam about the Monaco Grand Prix. Tony found himself hoping that at some point he could find another chance to kiss Pepper that wouldn't be ruined by nerves or teenage boys.

**TBC…**

**Hope you enjoyed it, Iron Man 2 is in the next chapter. Feedback appreciated (good or bad)! **

**Also if you feel like it follow me on twitter megangray92**

**=)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for all the positive reviews guys! Some constructive stuff I'm going to take in to account in this one, so if there is anything please don't be afraid to point it out!**

**Iron Man 2**

Pepper and Adam looked at the sky at the ball of light that flew in between the bursts of colour from the fireworks, wincing when one smacked him right in the chest. When Tony landed on the stage Adam's gaze went from the cheerleaders to a grin that matched the one on Tony's face.

"So cool!" He muttered under her breath. Pepper just shook her head, how Tony had managed to convince her to let Adam skip school on the Friday to come out for the first official day of the expo she would never know. Adam was enjoying the show Tony put on, Pepper however knew better, she'd seen this kind of thing from him before, he was the centre of the universe right now and he was damned if he wasn't going to enjoy the moment. She did however frown when he started talking about legacy, it wasn't that it was noticeably different but to her the tone of his voice dropped to a slightly more serious one.

After Tony's speech to officially open the show they left that was when Pepper saw the gorgeous woman leaning against Tony's new car, she quickly steered Adam away before he could see something that may change his opinion of the great Tony Stark. It was only later when she received a call from Happy that he was going to be driving to DC that night to appear before the US Senate Armed Forces Committee at 9am and that they were driving there. She immediately asked her driver to turn the car back towards La Guardia where the Stark Jet would be waiting to fly her up for the hearing.

…

Pepper handed Tony his phone during a brief recess in the proceedings and as he turned to talk to her she kept telling him to turn back around to face Senator Stern who wanted to ask the questions. He gave Pepper one last cheeky grin before swivelling around to face the committee.

"Yes dear?" He asked the Senator earning himself a chuckle from those watching the proceedings.

As he argued with Stern she could see him tensing up, he did the same thing in board meetings when he thought he was trying to explain something simple to an idiot, although she worked to supress the grin that threatened to form when he compared giving up the suit (although not before he said "I am Iron Man" to the delight of the press) to being forced in to prostitution.

After Stern declared he wasn't an expert in prostitution and Tony said "Of course not you're a Senator" he looked to Pepper for validation. "No?" He mouthed; he swore he saw the corners of her lips twitch before she shook her head.

She was still thinking about the damage control when she heard the words "Justin Hammer" she inwardly groaned, if there was anything that would set Tony off it would be Hammer. Sure enough his response was to immediately question Hammer's status as an expert. 'Point Stark' she immediately thought, she couldn't help but agree on this one.

When Hammer brought up Howard Stark, Pepper watched Tony out of the corner of her eye, this was one sure fire way to get a rise out of him, she was worried about what he was going to do. She was more concerned when Rhodey appeared and was asked to read specific sections from a report, she knew to be slightly damming when read out of context and that Tony, despite her having placed it on his desk, had not read.

Rhodey was trying to cover Tony and when the images appeared on the screen she knew this was the moment he'd been waiting for. As "Welcome Mr Stark" flashed across the screens she snuck to the back of the room to wait for him, this was his big finale. Tony verbally smacked Hammer and Stern all over the floor with his video's she wouldn't admit it, but right now she was proud of him.

"Fuck you Mr Stark!" Stern shouted as he adjourned the hearing and Tony put on his rock star glasses leaving the chamber to thunderous applause. "That was fun" he grinned at her.

"So much damage control to do." Pepper moaned although her smile gave away her feelings on this, although she knew the plane ride back with Rhodey was going to be very awkward.

Tony's phone buzzed and he pulled out to see Adam's text "Watching in the hotel room, way to stick it to them!"

He grinned and replied "your mom's not impressed."

…

He recognised that face, he thought after he muted JARVIS, that was Pepper's angry face.

"Is this a joke?" She asked as she walked towards him "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking I'm very busy and you are angry about something." He looked at her slightly red nose "have you got the sniffles I don't want to get sick?"

He tried to convince her that the art collection he'd recently donated to the Boy Scouts of America was his collection not hers although they both knew otherwise. She moved on to the expo, believing it to be a waste of time.

"I need you to wear a surgical mask until you're feeling better." He told her right before she coughed "and the kid too."

"That's rude" not the he was listening, he was on a rant about how important his expo is to him.

Neither of them was listening to each other, they were just talking at each other about how the company was run.

"You do it." He thought for a moment "excellent idea" he congratulated himself. "You run the company!"

"Yeah, I'm trying to run the company." Why doesn't he get that? She wondered

"Pepper you're not listening to me!" He cut off the arguing "I'm trying to make you CEO."

'Yeah that shut her up' He thought, she was honestly gob smacked. If he didn't think that she'd slap him or accuse him of doing it just to get in her pants then he'd have used the opportunity to kiss her there and then.

She stared at him as Dummy rolled the champagne bucket over and he poured them a drink. When he started talking about a successor she got that same strange feeling she did at the expo.

"It's you." He said, not really talking about a worthy successor anymore "It's always been you." He handed her a glass she looked like she was going to cry, but she was smiling all the same.

"I don't know what to think"

"Don't think. Drink." It was logic that had dictated most of his adult life up until now. He moved up close and chinked the glasses before taking a long sip of the drink.

"Does this mean you win?" He asked, still sat incredibly close.

"Win what?"

"The 'my life is better than yours' competition that all divorced couples have?" It was rare for him to bring up Pepper's relationship with her ex-husband.

"I think so; I'm looking forward to telling him." She smiled, finished her drink and stood up. "I need to let Adam know."

"Celebratory dinner later?" He suggested before she left. It would've been the perfect opportunity he thought, if only JARVIS hadn't told him he was going to die and if she hadn't stood up.

"Where were you thinking?" Her question interrupted his thought process.

"Guest of honours choice." He prompted.

"Duke's?" She asked, it was a very expensive beachfront restaurant, there were a few others she could think of but she'd be dealing with Tony and Adam, two very similar people who probably wouldn't behave if they went somewhere more niche.

"How many shall I book it for boss?" He joked, she looked at him.

"You're not my PA anymore Potts, I was going to have JARVIS do it anyway."

"Me, you, Adam…" She listed.

"Happy?"

"Sounds perfect." She responded, Tony ordered JARVIS to make the call and was told they had a reservation for 8pm

"Pick you up at 7:30?" He asked and she nodded.

After a very expensive, yet highly enjoyable, dinner, Tony had Happy drop Adam and Pepper home.

"I'm going to start searching for a new PA for you, during the transition phase." Pepper told him on the ride home.

"Pepper." He whined "Don't ruin a lovely evening with work."

"Sorry, habit I guess." She said.

"Have you given any thought to Monaco?" He asked Adam had crashed in the corner. Tony glanced at him "It's his favourite race to watch."

"I don't want to pull him out of class for a car race."

"It's the Monaco Grand Prix Pepper!" Tony tried. "He's been looking at the designs and the car and the track for a few weeks."

"I'll think about it." She said as she shook Adam awake to go home.

…

Pepper walked in to Tony's gym after dropping Adam in the workshop, Tony was quite happy for Adam to do some minor unsupervised work on the Hot Rod without him. She informed him that the notary was there so they could sign off on her becoming CEO.

"It's called dirty boxing and there's nothing new about it!" She heard Happy tell Tony, and she shook her head, when the pair stopped their boxing to stare at the woman who'd just walked through the doors.

"I promise this is the only time I will ask you to sign over your company" she tries to bring the attention back to her, but the next thing she notices is Tony has asked Natalie to go in to the ring and is asking Happy to give her a lesson whilst he's planting his sweaty body next to Pepper on a chair, really only designed for one person.

Trying to persuade him to meet the candidates she's chosen as his assistant over the beautiful woman in the boxing ring, who speaks Latin (really? Who speaks Latin she wonders), takes a backseat when she wraps her legs around Happy and pins him to the floor. Pepper accepts the fact that she'll probably never be able to talk Tony out of hiring her now. He places his finger print on the sheet of paper and looks at her giving her that smile that's only reserved for her.

"You're the boss."

Pepper smiles back at him, "Will that be all Mr Stark?" Natalie asks.

"No" Tony tries but Pepper's answer of yes is much louder and Natalie leaves as Adam enters.

"I want one." Tony tries.

"No." She tells him in the same tone she used on her son when he asked for a dirt bike three days ago.

"Who was the hottie?" Adam asks

"Miss Rushman, my new assistant." Tony tells him, as Pepper shoots him a stern glare.

"Think you could teach me to box?" Adam asks, before the conversation gets more awkward.

"Happy, set the kid up with some basics." Tony told Happy who was still recovering from Natalie's attack.

"He's not a secret ninja or anything is he Pepper?" Happy asks nervously.

"No he wanted to take karate when he was younger but never did." She told the relieved body guard/ driver.

She sat with Tony as he started to work on the paperwork for her.

"So Monaco?" He said as he signed his name in relevant places

"I suppose he can go." Pepper said, mentally checking all the things she'd need to take her son to Monaco.

…

As the Rolls Royce driven by Happy drove up the track for the Monaco race, Adam couldn't help but look around and stare. They arrived outside the front of the hotel that they'd been booked and got out of the car, Pepper looking poised and cool, a skill she'd developed over the years of accompanying Tony to such events. Tony himself gave his now customary peace sign to the cheers of the women around him, Adam slid out of the car casting a knowing look at the gold and red suitcase attached to Happy still trying to take in everything around him.

They walked in to the reception listening to Tony talk to his mother. "Whatever happens in the next 20 minutes just go with it." Tony told her, which confused Pepper but not Adam, he knew what Tony was planning and had been helping him with the preparation for the last 2 weeks. He was just glad his mom had let him come, he didn't want to miss this.

Adam's thoughts about Tony's plan were momentarily distracted with the arrival of Miss Rushman. That was sure to throw his mom momentarily.

"When did this happen?" She asked Tony

"You made me do it." He countered "Smile." He pointed at the camera pointing at them to distract her.

"One with the kid?" The photographer asked.

"Sure, hey Adam come and get in the photo with your mom and me." Tony asked and they took the photo whilst Natalie led them to a table with a great view of the track outside and a TV screen for the bit's they'd miss. Tony led Pepper over to the bar and Adam stayed by Natalie when he noticed a familiar figure at the bar. It was the guy from the Senate hearing he watched as he approached Tony and his mom.

Hammer introduced Christine Everheart to the pair, not realising the three were already well acquainted, he kept bragging about the big story she was writing about him. "She wrote quite a spread on Tony last year." Pepper said, in a creepily polite way.

"She wrote a story too." Tony added as if the thinly veiled true meaning of Pepper's sentence wasn't obvious to everyone.

Pepper joined her son at the table. "Who was that?" He asked her.

"No one important." They were both watching as Hammer forced Tony in to an awkward photo and dragged him over to a table with them. Pepper grinned as Tony loudly announced the revocation of Hammer Industries DOD contracts.

Tony leaped the barrier towards the Stark racing car, the whole scene largely going unnoticed by Pepper but had Adam fascinated by the TV, he didn't think Tony would actually go through with it.

"What's the point of owning a race car if you don't get to drive it." Tony's announcement drew Pepper's attention, 'keep staring at the screen' Adam told himself. Natalie rushed over, equally as shocked as Pepper.

The worry Pepper felt tripled as she watched a large man in an orange jump suit emerge on to the track, taking a wild swing at a passing car with a glowing whip. He caught Happy raise the briefcase out of the corner of her eye. "Stay here. Do NOT move. If you absolutely have to leave find Miss Rushman and stay with her." She hurriedly told Adam and shot off after Happy. Adam stayed and watched in horror as the Stark car was sliced by the whip and as Happy forced the Rolls on to the track dodging the oncoming cars, knowing his mother was inside.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!" One of the few remaining camera men caught the moment Pepper screamed at Tony after Vanko was pinned against the fence by Happy. Tony moved around to the car, still arguing with Pepper and the fear Adam felt was briefly replaced by the hilarity of Tony arguing with his mother being forced to get in the car. The fear however returned when Vanko's whip cut through the door of the car. That was when things got real he watched as Pepper threw the briefcase at Tony was encased in the Iron Man suit with in seconds.

Adam was still staring at the screen in shock after the battle had ended, shocked as he watched Tony rip the reactor out of Vanko's chest and crush it. He didn't notice Pepper walk in to the bar area, she walked up behind him, lightly tapping him on the shoulder. Adam spun around and stared in to the blue eyes of his mother. "We need to leave." Adam stood hugged her hard and followed her out of the hall, every eye in the room looking at Pepper Potts and searching for Tony.

…..

Pepper's cell phone buzzed and she looked at it and rolled her eyes, it was Rick. Clearly Tony's Monaco exploits made the news.

"Hello Rick." She sighed in to the phone

"_Don't 'Hi Rick' me? What the hell happened?" _Her ex-husbands voice came down the phone.

"We're fine."

"_Fine? Some lunatic tried to kill you!" _

"Actually you'll find he tried to kill my boss."

"_This isn't the time for humour Ginny, you could've got hurt. Our son could've got hurt…"_

"Don't you think I'm not aware of that?"

"_Where the hell was he anyway, when you were off playing super hero with Stark?" _

"With Tony's assistant in a room full of people including my security detail."

"_Some assistant? Jesus Christ, nice to see you were concerned about his safety and not the safety of guy you're screwing.!" _He yelled down the phone.

The logical part of Pepper Potts brain right now was telling her that he was a concerned father and he was worried, but the part of her brain that won out was the part that got incredibly angry and incredibly offended by what he'd said.

"I am NOT sleeping with Tony Stark." She hissed down the phone. Adam who'd been playing on a laptop next to her, pretending he couldn't overhear the phone call, stood and left. He didn't want to listen to his parents fight about him or Tony. Again.

He found Tony in the galley preparing food. "Hey Tony."

"Hey." He paused and thought about the tone of voice Adam used. "What's wrong?"

"Mom and Dad are fighting again."

"What about?"

"You."

"Me?" Tony asked and Adam explained the situation and the phone call. They waited until they were sure Pepper was off the phone before Tony took out the omelette he'd been trying to prepare for her. He left the kitchen and hovered in the entrance to the cabin which contained Pepper, he listened to her huff sadly as Senator Stern once again took to ripping him apart on television.

"Mute." He said as a means of shutting up the irritating voice on the screen and alerting pepper to his presence.

"What is that?" She eventually said to him looking at the covered plate on the small table in front of her.

"Your in-flight meal." Tony told her

"Did you just make that?" She asked, in 10 years she'd never seen him cook anything that didn't come with microwave instructions.

"Yeah, where do you think I've been for the last 3 hours?"

She watched as he sat back and stared out of the window. "Tony?" She asked "What are you not telling me?"

"I don't want to go home. At all." He thought for a moment. "Let's cancel my birthday party. We're in Europe let's go to Venice….Cipriani?" He named the city and the hotel he knew she loved there. "Remember?"

She smiled and thought "Yeah." She remembered the hotel and its spa and its views of Piazza San Marco.

"It's a great place to be…" He thought, he needed to tell her, wanted to tell her but changed his mind. "Healthy."

"I don't think this is the right time." She told him softly. "We're in kind of a mess." Iron Man, the company, Monaco, the fact that she'd be taking her son (the fact she had a son) to Venice one of the most romantic cities in the world with Tony (and things with Tony were getting….Complicated).

"Well maybe that's why it's the best time." He argued.

"Well…" Let him down gently she told herself. "As CEO I need to show up."

"As CEO you're entitled uh…leave. A company retreat."

"A retreat? During a time like this?" She asked, he wasn't incapable of showing some business acumen

"Well I'm just saying, time to recharge our batteries." He looked away from her "figure it all out." He wasn't talking about them or Stark Industries in that moment.

"Not everybody runs on batteries Tony." She softly told him, he smiled to let her know it was ok.

It wasn't Ok.

…..

Pepper walked in to the birthday party at Tony's and saw him dancing in the Iron Man suit and was horrified, she was soon joined by Rhodey who couldn't believe it either, she wanted to let him make the phone call, but she couldn't do that to Tony so she promised she would handle it. So she walked on stage to end the party.

She took the microphone from Tony who had just peed in the suit. "Does this guy know how to throw a party of what?"

She pretended to enjoy the crowd's attention and cheering. "I love you!" Tony said in to the microphone talking to Pepper not that anybody knew.

"Unbelievable." She figured it out. "Thank you." She thanked Tony and the audience for coming and he tried to argue about cake and she cut him off hiding the microphone behind her back "You're out of control." She told him.

"You're out of control gorgeous." He responded, he lent in for a kiss and she pulled away.

"Pepper Potts." He told everyone and there was a smattering of polite applause for the party pooper. "She's right." He told her "The parties over, then again the party was over for me like an hour and a half ago. The after party starts in 15 minutes!" There was a cheer "And if anybody….Pepper…doesn't like it there's the door." He pointed a hand in the direction of the door and shot the large glass wall by the stairs.

Rhodey left and Pepper watched in horror as he bellow up $500 bottles of Dom Perignon. She sat on the edge of the raised platform he was on as Rhodey came back up and emptied the room wearing one of the earlier versions of the suit and promptly cleared the room.

"Goldstein" Tony said

"Yes Mr Stark?"

"Give me a fat beat to kick my buddy's ass."

Pepper was rooted to the spot watching as they fought, Happy pulled her out of the way telling her to get out of here and she did, she left.

The next morning Adam came down for breakfast and she switched off the TV showing reports of Tony's behaviour and the party.

"You're not to go over to Tony's house anymore. Do you understand?" The tone in her voice told him that this was not a rule to ignore.

"Ok." He said, wondering what the hell had happened.

…..

Pepper was on the phone dealing with the mess that somebody (Tony) had created for Stark Industries by allowing Rhodey to fly off in his suit.

"Miss Potts?" Her secretary came in "Mr Stark is here to see you."

He walked in to the office not even waiting for her to ok the visit. He'd been MIA for a few days giving her space. He had decided though, that now was the time to tell her about the Palladium poisoning, he had to. She was arguing with the Air Force keeping an eye on the TV pundit who was criticising her, he muted it. She was more the capable and qualified, he knew it, she knew it (or he hoped she did anyway).

"Got a minute?" He asked after he finished walking around his old office and her new one.

"No." She was still in no mood to talk to him.

"Come on you just got off the phone, 30 seconds." She said nothing but looked at her watch and began to count down the seconds.

"I was just coming over here basically to apologise, but I'm not…"

"You're not?" She looked at him "You're not going to apologise?"

"That goes without saying. I'm working on that, look I haven't been entirely upfront with you and I'm trying…can I move that?" He pointed at the moving contraption on Peppers desk.

"No." She told him, just to be spiteful, so he moved the chair.

"Do you know how short life is?" She looked at him, not believing this is what he'd come to discuss "If I never got too express, and by the way is somewhat revelatory to me…" He rambled about not caring and caring and how he wanted to care.

"Let me just stop you right here. If you say I one more time I'm actually going to hurl something at your head. I am trying to run a company! Do you have any idea what that entails?"

"Yes." It used to be his job after all and occasionally he did it.

"Did you bring me strawberries?" He smiled at her, she noticed his gift. "Did you know there's only one thing on earth that I'm allergic to?"

"Strawberries." He said, he remembered now. "This is progress Pepper. I knew there was a correlation between you and these."

"I need you…" She started but he cut her off

"I need you too."

"I need you to leave." She finished her thought. "Now."

He would've responded but Happy and Natalie walked in, telling her it was wheels up in 25 minutes.

"Anything else you need boss?" Happy asked, Tony turned to answer him.

"No." Pepper responded

"I lost both the kids in the divorce." Tony joked, regretting his choice of words when he saw a hint of hurt flash across Pepper's eyes and Happy shake his head telling him it was not a good joke. So he decided to pick on Natalie, trying to her to slip up or announce she works for SHIELD.

"I thought you two didn't get along?" He asked

"That's not true." Pepper said

"It's just me you don't care for."

He watched as Happy followed Pepper from the office with her overnight bag and was then told by Natalie to keep his mouth shut and to go home. He looked at the model of the Expo from the 70's and he had a sudden realisation.

He was going to get better and he was going to make things right by Pepper.

…..

Pepper watched as Justin Hammer presented his drones and was horrified to recognise the suit Rhodey took from Tony appear on stage, she and the lawyers were going to have fun with this later on. Suddenly a familiar roar of engines reached her ears and she was beginning to panic when Tony landed on the stage, however the panic she felt she felt at the thought of Tony ruining a display from Hammer was nothing compared to the fear she felt she he left the stage and the glass ceiling came tumbling down when the Hammer drones shot at him as he tried to escape. However when Hammer tried to blame Tony for the situation when he'd been locked out of the system by somebody he wouldn't say her fear turned to anger, although the fear briefly returned when Natalie slammed Hammer in to a table.

Natasha gave Rhodey control of the suit back and had accessed Vanko/Hammer's communications.

"Yes for the moment I am not dying. Thank you" Tony told Natasha not realising Pepper was also hearing this.

"What do you mean you're not dying? Did you just say you're dying?" Pepper's worried voice and face flashed up on the HUD in Tony's suit.

"No. No I'm not, not anymore." Tony said.

"What's going on?" Pepper demanded.

"I was going to tell you…" Tony began

"You were going to tell me? You really were dying?" She was upset now.

"You didn't let me…"

"Why didn't you tell me that?"

"I was going to make you an omelette and tell you!" He yelled

"Hey, hey save it for the honeymoon." Natasha said "Tony you've got incoming."

"Pepper, don't be mad."

"I am mad!" She yelled at him

"I will formerly apologise when I'm not fending off a hammeroid attack."

"Fine." She told him

"Could've been in Venice." He added quickly

"Oh please…" Natasha cut off the rest of the conversation before Pepper could finish her sentence.

…

"You lose." The reactor in Vanko's chest began to flash red as did the ones in the other Hammer drones.

"All these drones are rigged to blow we gotta get out of here man." Rhodey said.

"Pepper?" Tony voiced his only thought before taking off and blasting towards the main stage.

He arrived and saw her staring at the rigged drone landing only long enough to scoop her in his arms before blasting away again.

He landed on the roof and she pushed him away, he pulled off the helmet damaged by her terrified holding on.

"I can't take this anymore." She told him

"You can't?" He stared at his destroyed suit "look at me!"

"My body can't handle the stress. I don't know if you're going to kill yourself or wreck the whole company…"

"I think I did ok!" He indicated to the burning EXPO.

"I quit. I'm resigning….that's it!" Her words made him pause.

"What did you just say?" He stepped towards her "You're done? That's surprising." He thought for a second about what he's put her through and what she has to lose. "That's not surprising, I get it. You don't have to make any excuses."

"I wasn't making any excuses."

"Well actually…" she cut him off before he could finish.

"I'm actually very justified…"

"Hey, hey, hey, you deserve better" he cut her off this time, taking her hand "You've taken such good care of me. Been in a tough spot, you got me through it right?" He hadn't let go of her hand yet.

"Thank you. Thank you for understanding." She told him softly

"Yeah, yeah, let's talk clean up." She'd noticed he'd not let go yet.

"I'll handle the transition…"

"What about the press? Because you only had the job for a week that's going to seem…"

"Well with you it's like dog years!"

"I know." He told her.

"It's like the presidency…." He ended further ranting by kissing her and was happy to find she responded.

"Weird?" He asked

"No, not weird." She'd known this moment was coming.

"It's ok right? Run that by me again?" He leant in for another kiss

"I think it's weird." The voice broke them apart. "You guys look like two seals fighting over a grape." Rhodey told them.

"I had just quit…" Pepper started

"So we're not…"

"You don't have to do that. I heard the whole thing." He was happy for his friends

"You should get lost." Tony told him, so he could continue to run this shift in their relationship by Pepper.

"I was here first. Get a roof." Rhodey told them, Tony laughed. Rhodey told him he was going to be keeping the war machine suit and blasted away before he could be stopped.

"Are you going to resign?" He took both her hands in his "I don't accept." She laughed and kissed him again.

….

Adam pretended not to notice that when Pepper descended the stairs from the Stark jet three days later, that she'd been holding Tony's hand promptly dropping it when she saw he was waiting for her.

He smiled and hugged her, whenever she was ready to tell him about the relationship he'd be supportive. Besides Tony made a much better step parent than Bambi anyway.

**TBC...**

**Wow that's a long one (5,250 words exact). Now we're done with the movies me and my plot bunnies are taking over. Sorry for the delay in update. Promise the next chapter won't be nearly as long as this.**


	5. Chapter 5

**So after the exhaustion of writing the last chapter I hope you enjoy this one, it's not as long but it's hopefully just as good. Please forgive my little nerdy moment (you'll get it when you read it). May introduce to you all Pepper's mother! Dukes of Malibu by the way super expensive the steaks start at $21 and it's $9 to add things like shrimp. Never been but a friend who's been on holiday assures me it's fantastic!**

**Secret's Out**

"So… you and my Mom huh?" Adam asked a few days after they had returned from the disastrous expo.

"Uh…what…me and Pepper…" Tony started, Pepper had told him that they would be keeping their relationship a secret until they were sure what was actually going on.

"Dude. I saw her holding hands with you when you got off the plane."

"Oh. Well…"

"And I saw you kiss her a few times."

"Right, listen…."

"You mumbled 'Love you Pepper' when you were asleep on the couch the other day"

"Adam, it's…"

"It's cool." Adam told him

"It is?"

"Yeah. You make her happy."

"I do."

"You do. Pass me the wrench." Adam asked working on part of the Hot Rod engine.

Tony would've asked more questions but the subject of their conversation walked down the stairs.

"Dinner is ready." She told them, they stood to leave the basement. "Actually before you go Tony I've got some R&D stuff I need to discuss first." Adam shot Tony a knowing look from behind Pepper's back.

As soon as he was gone she placed a kiss on lips. "Tough day boss lady?" Tony asked wrapping his arms around her waist.

"The mess from the expo is taking up a lot of my time, I'm still arguing with the Air Force over Rhodey's suit, without getting Rhodey in trouble…" He cut her off with a kiss.

"Sucks to be you. Um…can we talk about Adam?"

"What did he do?"

"He knows about us."

"You told him? Tony! I told you I wanted to…"

"I said nothing. He asked me. Saw us holding hands and kissing a few times." Pepper sighed and led Tony upstairs for a truly awkward moment that was about to occur.

They walked in to the kitchen Tony's hand tightly grasping Pepper's.

"So decided to stop keeping it a secret?" Adam asked his mouth full of Chinese food, Pepper blushed.

"Why didn't you say you knew?" Pepper asked him

"Why didn't you tell me?" Adam countered, a hint of hurt flashed through his voice.

"It's complicated."

"No it really isn't you go 'hey Adam me and Tony are together now, are you ok with it?' See then I'd say yes, it's simple Mom."

"When you put it like that."

"Dad found somebody new, a couple of times and you've never introduced a guy to me. So I'm happy you've found somebody."

Pepper would've responded but the ringing of her phone cut off the conversation, it left Tony just staring at Adam.

"Dude, you're staring." Adam said after watching Tony stare.

"You're very perceptive for a 13 year old."

"Point?"

"My mother is coming to visit." Pepper came back in to the room, Adam groaned.

"Grandma? Seriously?" He whined.

"Your Mom?" Tony asked.

"Oh dude, she does not like you." Adam laughed.

"She's never met me."

"No but she's from butt crack Nebraska, they like to gossip there."

"Adam." Pepper said sternly. "Watch what you're saying." She wasn't disagreeing, the small town in Nebraska was very dull but still, Adam wasn't being appropriate.

"But Mom, she doesn't like him. Grandma is always 'Virginia that man works you too hard' or 'how can you work for somebody who is so morally reprehensible?' or there's my favourite 'Tony Stark seen in club with another floosy, if you become one of those women Virginia I'm cutting you out of the will!'"

"So I've got work to do right?" Tony said a mouth full of food.

"Oh god…." Pepper ignoring her food as she realised the problem she was soon going to be facing.

The rest of the dinner passed with the conversation flowing easily as it had done for the last few months until ended with Adam declaring that he was going to go and do some homework.

"So dinner was interesting." Tony said as Pepper wandered round the kitchen tidying up. "Never introduced him to a man?"

"That doesn't mean I didn't date Tony. I just never let them meet my son; if they lasted past finding out I had one."

"Why wouldn't people want to know him? He's a great kid."

"Playing to my motherly pride doesn't mean you'll get lucky tonight." She told him.

"He gave us his seal of approval." Tony tried.

"Seducing me by talking about my child is creepy and won't work either."

Tony groaned "So your mother is visiting…"

"Adam may know about us, but I don't think telling her is a good idea at the moment."

"How am I meant to charm her socks off then?"

"We'll go out to dinner, say we working late and I extended the invitation. She's here to see Adam anyway now that school is out for the summer."

"What grade is he going in to? It seems like something a boyfriend should know."

"He's starting the 8th Grade in September."

"I finished my homework are we staying the night or should I get my stuff?" Adam interrupted the conversation.

"Stay Pepper." Tony told her. "Please."

Pepper nodded, Adam had given her approval of the relationship so why not. "Awesome I'm going to watch a movie." He left them alone in the kitchen once more. Tony smiled at Pepper and she just shot him a look that said 'don't you dare say anything.'

Two weeks later and Pepper was nervously tidying her house in preparation for the arrival of her mother.

"Mom chill out." Adam tried.

"Put your shoes one we're going to the airport."

"Why do I need to come?"

"Just do as you're told."

30 Minutes later Pepper and Adam were stood in the arrivals lounge of LAX waiting for her mother to walk through the door. She was very nervous, if this week went well she could change her mother's opinion of Tony and tell her about their relationship before she got back on her plane to Nebraska.

"Virginia! Over here!" The short woman waved, Pepper waved back and the woman made her way over. "Hello sweetheart." She hugged Pepper.

"Hello Mom." Pepper returned the hug.

"Adam sweetie, look how big you've got!" Pepper's mother hugged Adam who wrapped his arms around his Grandmother's waist.

"Hi Grandma." Together they left the terminal and climbed in to Pepper's Audi.

"Virginia, how is the new job going for you?" Pepper's mother asked.

"It's wonderful."

"CEO of a company, however do you find time to do what you want to do?" She asked Pepper thought about her answer 'how do I find time to be a mother' was the real meaning of the question. Her mother had never forgiven her for splitting up with Rick.

"I manage, without having to deal with Tony the company runs a lot easier."

"That man was always more interested in partying and now he's playing superhero."

"Iron Man is pretty cool Grandma."

"I'm sure he is sweetie, especially when he puts your mother in danger, I saw that race in France."

"Monaco isn't in France." Adam whispered under his breath. Pepper heard and shot him a look. "That wasn't his fault Grandma."

"Of course not sweetie." She used that tone adults used to tell children they were dropping the subject, but the kid still thinks they're right.

The arrived at Pepper's house and when they opened the door and were immediately hit by the smell of dampness with water running out of the kitchen and down the hall.

"Oh god." Pepper shouted. "Adam go and pack a bag."

As if she needed anymore distractions her doorbell rang and she opened in to see Tony, dressed in a business suit.

"Potts. We've got some urgent business to discuss…why is there water running down your hallway?"

"I think I've got a burst pipe."

"Do you need somewhere to stay?" He asked, it probably would be hard to keep the secret when Pepper's mother was in his house the whole time.

"I was going to get a hotel."

"Nonsense. I've got plenty of guest rooms." He told her, the look on her face clearly asking him what the hell he was playing at.

"I think a hotel will do just fine." Pepper's mother said, reminding them both she was there.

"Tony this is my mother Elizabeth Cooper."

Tony held out his hand "Lovely to meet you Mrs Cooper I'm Anthony Stark."

"Nice to meet you Mr Stark." The tone in Elizabeth's voice was one of a forced politeness.

"Tony please." He tried but the woman just curtly smiled at him. "I insist. Pepper it makes complete sense. You can spend the whole week with your mother without worrying about work. Stark is perfectly capable of being run from the mansion, you know this."

"Please Mom! Mr Stark if we stayed could I help work on the cars?"

"Only if you call me Tony." Adam gave Pepper the puppy dog eyes.

"Fine." Pepper huffed. "I hope that's ok with you Mom."

"Sounds lovely dear. Thank you Mr Stark." Elizabeth said, whilst Tony motioned to Happy to come over.

"Happy could you help Mrs Cooper to the car with her bags?" Tony asked before introducing them. "Mrs Cooper this is Happy Hogan he's the driver-slash-bodyguard for the CEO of Stark Industries, so that means Pepper."

"Why do you call her that?" Elizabeth asked quickly, Happy took the bags to the car.

"Funny story really. My math was wrong and this young accountant tries to tell me as I'm leaving the building, of course my math is never wrong and this is what I told her and I kept walking and she kept pursuing and my bodyguard at the time tried to tell her to back off. So this woman threatens him with Pepper spray and that attracted my attention so I listened to what she had to say. I realised that my assistant wasn't doing her job properly so I gave it to the woman. I could only remember her last name so I kept calling her Pepper Spray and the nickname stuck."

"Telling the how I met my assistant story again?" Pepper asked as she came down.

"It's a great story." Tony took Pepper's bag from her hand and walked to the car.

The drive down the Pacific Coast Highway to Tony's mansion was filled with awkward silence broken only by Pepper calling a plumber to fix the pipe problem in her own house. They pulled in to the garage.

"Thanks Happy, if you can take Mrs Copper's bags to the room with the great ocean view and Pepper's to her usual room and I'll have dummy take Adam's to the room he usually crashes in."

"He stays here?" Elizabeth whispered to Pepper.

"If I'm working late or weekends then sometimes yeah." Elizabeth Potts just shook her head.

"Shall we go out for dinner later?" Tony asked "My treat?"

Pepper looked at her Mother, who gave a non-committal shrug and Adam who nodded enthusiastically. "Ok, anybody have a preference?"

"What about that place we went after you got promoted?" Adam said

"Dukes?"

"Yeah."

"Excellent JARVIS make the reservation for 7pm." He loudly called out.

"Of course sir." The voice responded shocking Elizabeth.

"That's JARVIS, he's an AI programme I created to run the house." Tony explained to the shocked woman. "Pepper, I'm going to work on the cars a bit, can you give your mother the tour?"

"Come on Mom, I'll show you around." They walked up the stairs from Tony's garage/work shop

"This is the lounge, if you want to watch anything just ask JARVIS and he'll project it for you." Pepper showed her round the front room, they moved on the kitchen, the library, gym and pool, before Pepper showed her where the office she'd be working in was and where the bedroom Tony had sent Elizabeth's bags were.

They left for dinner that evening it was a quiet dinner, the conversation between Tony and Pepper's mother was forced and Adam and Pepper suffered because of it, but the dinner was nice and when it came to paying Tony refused to allow any contributions from the table's other occupants.

That night Pepper after being sure her mother was in bed, crept to Tony's room, she'd been assured by JARVIS he was in there changing after dinner.

"Tony?" Pepper called out when she entered the room.

"Hey." Tony emerged from the bathroom placed a light kiss on her lips.

"I'm sorry about my Mom. She really loved Ricky and she's never heard good things about you, well she has from me and Adam but she listens to the media."

"Pepper you're rambling. Parents have never liked me." He pulled her towards the bed.

"Still, she's being mean."

"Mean Potts?" Tony laughed as he spooned behind her. "Just sleep Pepper everything will be better in the morning."

"Ok." Pepper was tired and she was ready to fall asleep the minute she lay on his bed. "I should probably go back to my own room, we're not being very good secret keepers."

"Go on then." Tony said not loosening his grip knowing she was going nowhere.

The next morning Pepper crept from Tony's room in to her own to get changed before she went to make a coffee.

"Good morning Mom." Pepper greeted her mother who was already in the kitchen making breakfast.

"Good morning sweetheart, sleep well?"

"Wonderfully yes, I have to work today, what are your plans with Adam?"

"We're going to do the Hollywood tour, see the walk of fame and the sign and the theatre."

"Sounds wonderful, would you like Happy to drive?"

"No dear, don't be silly. Although if he could drive me to your house so I can pick up the car that would be lovely."

So that's what happened. Pepper spent the day at work, being bugged by Tony whilst her mother and Adam played tourist for the day. That night she returned home later than she intended, she'd called ahead to tell her mother not to hold up dinner and she came home to find her mother reading a book whilst Adam and Tony watched Star Wars Episode 1.

"I know he grows up to be Darth Vader but Anakin is a pretty cool kid, he built an awesome pod racer and the super smart protocol droid and he's like 8!"

"Eat your heart out Tony Stark." Pepper announced her presence to the room, causing Adam to chuckle and Tony raised his eyebrow.

"Sweetheart I left some food in the kitchen just re-heat it." Elizabeth cut across.

"Thanks Mom." Pepper left before Tony could think of a response to her jab at his intelligence.

Pepper came back just as Anakin shot the inside of the trade federation ship causing it to explode.

"Now, see he did that." Pepper points out "and then he leaves a similar flaw on the death star, which is how Luke blows it up."

"Didn't know you were a Star Wars geek Potts."

"I'm not, but somebody wrote an essay in the sixth grade explaining he wants to be a Jedi when he grows up, I've seen the movies plenty to pick up major flaws in the thinking of the characters."

"Oh I remember the Star Wars phase, I sent you Star Wars birthday cards, Christmas cards and presents for two years!" Elizabeth joked.

The movie ended and everyone decided it was bed time, Pepper walked with her mother to her bedroom.

"He's very good with Adam, but I don't think he's a very good role model for him Virginia."

"He's trying, he's teaching him mechanics and lets him work on the cars."

"Still, Virginia is he the type of man you want having influence over your child?"

"Goodnight Mom." Pepper kissed her mother on the cheek, just before she went in to her room "He's changed, since he went missing."

Elizabeth Potts was walking down the halls when she noticed Pepper slip out of her room and into a room slightly further down, she listened quietly and she heard two voices, both of which she recognised.

"Took your time tonight Pepper."

"I was just finishing up some work."

Elizabeth was shocked at what she was hearing, how could her daughter become one of those women, she'd have to talk to her tomorrow.

"Good morning Mom." Pepper greeted as her Mother walked in to the kitchen "Would you like some coffee?"

"Yes please." Pepper handed her mother a cup of coffee. "What are you playing at Virginia?" She asked suddenly.

"What do you mean?"

"You and that man."

"Tony?" Pepper asked

"Yes, him. He's a philanderer and he'll only leave you when somebody new comes along."

"Mom he's changed."

"People like him rarely change Virginia."

"He loves me."

"It's true I do." Tony had nearly walked in then he heard how the conversation was going and decided to wait.

"I love him." Pepper added to reinforce her point.

"Really I do love her and Adam, they're all I've got. I don't have a family, I didn't even really have friends before her. I'm sorry we lied, but we didn't think you'd take it very well. Let's try again, hello I'm Tony Stark, I'm in love with your daughter. I would love it if you stayed at mine, whilst your daughter's is being repaired so that I can get to know you better."

"I need some space to think." Elizabeth said and walked out of the kitchen.

Pepper felt the tears slipping down her face "Don't cry. She'll come around." Tony pulled her in to his arms. Elizabeth witnessed the tender moment and briefly thought he really could be in love with her.

The rest of the visit was quiet Elizabeth made the effort to try and be nice to Tony and Pepper was glad she could stop lying to her mother and Tony even accompanied them to the airport when it was time for her to go home.

"It was nice to meet you Tony." Elizabeth shook his hand after saying goodbye to her daughter and grandson

"And you Liz."

They watched as she boarded the plane and left them behind.

"She still hates me right?" Tony asked as he kept waving.

"Absolutely." Pepper told him, despite the awkwardness of the meeting she was sorry to see her mother go.

"Thought so."

**TBC...**

**So I rewrote this chapter twice and I hope you all enjoyed it. I got a little bored of the idea of Pepper's mother instantly liking Tony so I thought the whole "monster-in-law" thing could work for this story. **


	6. Chapter 6

**If you're reading 'The Journey' I will be updating soon, it's just I'm having a major case of writers block. It's so bad I actually started another fic (will be published after this and Journey) whilst trying to write the next chapter. Thanks for all the positive reviews. **

**Just to keep you all informed I have to move out of my current apartment in 2 weeks, so I've got a lot of shit to pack up and store, so chapters may be far and few between (I don't like this whole grown up thing, real life is shitty) **

**Sins of the Father**

"Thank you very much." Pepper calmly said down the phone, although both Tony knew she was anything but calm.

"Problem?" Tony asked

"The burst pipe at my house, when they went to repair it, they found that the whole pipe system was so old it is literally falling apart." Tony knew this already it was why they were both still at his house 2 weeks later. "Whilst replacing it they've discovered some more problems with the house, rotting floor boards and the like."

"So your house is falling apart basically."

"Yes captain obvious the house is falling apart. It'll take up to a year for all that's wrong with it to be resolved."

"Move in with me." Tony stated.

"We've been together for three months." Pepper argued.

"We've been in a romantic relationship for three months. We've known each other for nearly 11 years."

"You've not thought about this at all." She argued

"Actually I've put a lot of thought in to it. I love you, you love me, your kid is awesome and even when you could actually live in your house you were spending all your time here anyway. Besides, you have to stay here for a year anyway, move in for a year. Trial period."

"Ok."

"I mean let's think about all the benefits."

"Tony I said ok." Pepper told him after she realised he'd not listened to her answer.

"I thought you'd need more convincing. I'm putting my considerable brain power in to convincing you, wouldn't you like to hear the rest of my argument?"

"No I'd like you to come and help me move my things."

"Superhero's aren't movers Miss Potts."

"No but boyfriends are helpful like that."

"When are we going to tell Adam?" Tony was getting excited about the idea of all three of them living together.

"Soon, before he goes to stay with his father anyway."

"I'll fly him over, perks of dating a billionaire."

"You're just trying to show off to Rick."

"I have a perfectly good house in Dubai, we can all fly out to Bahrain, drop off the kid…"

"Rick lives in Dammam it's in Saudi Arabia not the UAE."

"I know, I was thinking we invite him and his wife to dinner, drop Adam off with them. We'll head to Dubai for a week or two and the jet will fly Adam home at the end of his visit."

"A vacation?"

"Yes Pepper, we've had this conversation before as CEO you are entitled to leave."

"I'm still struggling with how you tricked me in to becoming staying on as CEO."

"Don't question things you won't understand."

"Hello!" Adam called out.

"Hey, did you have fun with your friends?" Pepper called back.

"It was cool." Adam deposited the skateboard in the corner of the room, Pepper shot him a look, he knew better than to leave that lying around.

"Can we talk to you?" Pepper asked

"Uh…sure." Adam was concerned, thinking of things he'd done that she'd find out about.

"What would you think about possibly moving in with Tony?" Pepper cautiously asked. "Our house is going to be unliveable for a while."

"I think it'll be awesome." Adam said enthusiastically.

"You can pick a different room if you want, maybe one that's bigger." Tony told him, he wanted them both to feel comfortable in his…their home.

"It's ok, I like the room I've got, great view bigger than the one I already have."

"Ok, good. We'll go pick up some of your stuff tomorrow. JARVIS can you pull up the number for U-Haul?"

"Of course Miss Potts and may I add that it will be lovely having you and Mr Potts around."

The next day, after picking up the U-Haul from the very star struck guy at the depot, Pepper moved everything she owned, minus some larger items that would be donated or had been ruined by the water over to the Malibu Mansion, where Dummy was painting the room Adam would be occupying.

"It should be ready by the time you get back from your fathers." Tony told him, he'd ordered some new furniture and was upgrading some of the electrics in there so he'd have faster internet access and JARVIS could project on the walls (a feature that was absent from guest rooms).

The room was coming on nicely when the three boarded Tony's private plane.

"Why are we all coming?" Adam asked

"We're having dinner with your father."

"All of us?"

"Yes Adam, the three of us plus your father and Bambi."

"Awkward." Adam stated, he wasn't wrong when the aircraft landed 17 hours later and they went to the restaurant where Rick and Bambi were waiting for them it was the weirdest dinner Adam had ever attended and could only be described as a pissing contest between his father and Tony.

"Hello Virginia." Rick said politely as he saw her approach.

"Hello Rick." She then introduced Tony. "This is Tony Stark." The two men shook hands eyeing each other up.

Rick took in the fact that when they approached they'd been holding hands. "How long have you two been together?"

"About three months."

"Hello Adam." Bambi said kindly as if to remind the others that she was there.

"Hi Bambi, nice to see you again."

"Ginny, Tony this is my wife Bambi."

"Pleasure." Pepper said, she wasn't surprised that Rick had managed to land a young attractive blonde. He didn't conform to many of the rich guy stereotypes but this one he had down.

"Shall we go inside?" Tony said before Pepper killed the woman, they walked up to the host "Reservation for Stark."

"Yes Mr Stark, it's very nice to see you again, We have prepared a private booth." The group followed the man to a very nice private room where there was soft music playing. "Somebody will be along shortly to take your orders."

"So Tony, what is it you do now that Ginny has taken over as CEO."

"Apart from saving the world you mean?" Tony grinned "I work with the guys in R&D, I still head the board as the majority shareholder and technically I'm CTO, but mostly I fly around in the red and gold suit saving people. What is it you do Rick? I know you work for, Occidental Petroleum right?"

"I'm the distribution manager in Dammam, I don't work for Occidental anymore, and I work directly for the Saudi Government. I control roughly 25% of Saudi distribution."

"How do you like living out here Bambi? Must be a change from LA" Tony asked

"It's different, I like coming over to Bahrain to shop."

"The UAE is always great shopping. Pepper and I will be heading over to my house in Dubai in the morning."

"Dubai that must be nice."

"I bought it so I could handle my DOD commitments in the region…"

"DOD commitments, that'd be before you ceased the production of your company's primary interests."

"My company's primary interest at the moment is clean energy sources, need to reduce the dependency of Sau…foreign oil and yeah, I like to be present in the places where I've got responsibilities and obligations" Tony's accusation was obvious for all to hear.

Rick didn't get a chance to respond, the waiter came over to take their orders. The rest of the meal progressed much the same, Tony and Rick trading thinly veiled insults at each other. The dinner ended with a largely frosty atmosphere hanging over the group.

Pepper hugged Adam telling him she'd miss him and that he needs to behave for his father whilst he's there.

"Did you have to behave that way?" Pepper snapped on the way to the hotel they were staying in for the night.

"What way?"

"I'm talking about the mine's bigger than yours contest you were having with my ex-husband."

"I'm sorry Pepper, but I don't like him, there's something about him that really rubs me the wrong way."

"Did you have to bring up Adam?" She snapped "He's my son and Rick is aware of how I feel about him moving half way around the world."

"Dad's should be there, mine wasn't. I didn't even know he cared until a few months ago!"

"Is that what that was really about Tony?"

"I love you. I love your kid and this guy let both of you go and he put a continent and an ocean between him and his child. If he was my son I'd want to be part of his life, see him every day."

"Tony…" Pepper was shocked by the outpouring of emotion. It only ever happened when he was angry or upset, the emotional walls came down and he bore his soul for her and only her to see.

"It's fine Pepper. But now you know where I stand." He was silent the rest of the way to the hotel and when they got there he went straight to bed, she'd upset him. It wasn't her intention and the thought that she'd hurt him when all he was doing was trying to protect her son broke her heart.

"Tony?" She knocked on the door, no response. "Tony, I'm sorry." She walked in to the room and lay down next to him on the bed, taking his hand in hers.

He turned to kiss her "I'm sorry too Pepper." No more words were spoken that evening and when they awoke the next morning it was like the argument never happened.

After spending a few days in Dubai Pepper flew back to LA alone, Tony had been called away on a mission whilst they were there and he didn't know how long it would last. Whilst she was home she supervised the redecoration of Adam's room including a new bed and looked at middle schools in the area, it would be easy before settling on Malibu High School, it also acted as a middle school and since it was ranked one of the top 100 schools in the country she felt justified in choosing it over a private school.

"What are you doing?" Tony asked

"Picking a school for Adam that's a little closer than Santa Monica."

"So you still want to live with me?"

"One argument isn't going to change that Tony."

"Good, because you moved in and moved the espresso maker, to I don't know where."

"It's in the kitchen, what you're telling me is you don't know how to work it."

"Pepper, I graduated Suma Cum Laude from MIT at the age of 17. I can work my own coffee maker."

"It's my coffee maker, you smashed yours so you could get to the parts."

"My point still stands."

"Go make yourself an espresso then."

"I don't want one." They stared at each other for a moment before Tony finally admitted to not knowing how the espresso maker works.

"I didn't want an espresso anyway. This whole argument is invalid, Potts we both know I can't function without you and besides what I really wanted was a kiss from my girlfriend." He leant down and passionately kissed her.

They were interrupted by JARVIS "Ms Potts, it would appear that a Mr Richard Potts is trying to contact you."

"Put him through JARVIS you…" she pointed at Tony "behave yourself."

"Of course Ms Potts." The AI connected the call.

"_Virginia, I need you to talk to your son!" _The angry voice of her ex-husband came through the phone.

"What's he done now Rick?"

"_It's about what he won't do!"_

"Explain, please."

"_He refuses to play golf, he won't going shopping with Bambi, she says he just hangs around playing video games and sits by the pool whilst I'm at work."_

"He's 13 Rick, golf and shopping with his step-mother are hardly at the top of his priority list."

"_Well why did he come then? If all he was going to do was play video games he could've stayed in the States."_

"He's there to see you. We've had this conversation before Rick. You need to ask him what he wants to do."

"_Just talk to him Virginia." _There was a rustling on the end of the line as the phone changed hands.

"_Hi Mom." _

"Hi sweetie."

"_It's not my fault, whatever he's blaming me for!" _

"I understand Adam, but sometimes you need to do stuff your dad wants you to do."

"_But I don't like golf, I'd rather work on the cars with Tony. Can't I just come home?"_

"You should spend time with your dad." Tony said from the couch.

"_He doesn't want to spend time with me."_

"Of course he does…" Tony began but was cut off by Pepper.

"He's trying to share his favourite activities with you, so just…"

"Smile, agree and do whatever you want later." Tony finished

"Adam, two more weeks, just try and enjoy yourself."

"_Fine, bye Tony, bye Mom ."_

"Bye Adam."

"Bye Adam, I love you."

Pepper didn't hear Adam's response because Rick was back on the line.

"_So did you fix the problem?"_

"There's no problem Rick, just try and do something he's interested in."

"_That's a no. This kid is so frustrating."_

"Rick again, he's 13. He doesn't want to act like a middle aged man."

"_So you don't know what do with him either. I guess I'll struggle through these two weeks."_

"Good bye Rick." The dial tone indicated he'd hung up.

"Your ex-husband is a dick, you know this right?" Tony said. "Tell me about the school your sending Adam to, am I going to need to build them a library or anything?"

"A library?"

"Yeah my dad did it, creates good will with the school."

"The only thing you're doing is going down on the emergency contact list."

"I feel privileged."

"Just so they'll let you pick him up."

The two weeks passed by slowly for Pepper, she missed Adam and the high frequency of missions for Tony didn't help speed up the time she was spending alone. So when she stood in the arrivals terminal of LAX waiting for her son's plane, Rick had booked him a seat on a commercial flight, mostly to prove a point to Tony.

"I missed you." Pepper said as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Me too." Adam responded the commercial flight involved a change.

"How was your flight?"

"My flight? In economy class? It sucked."

"You flew economy?"

"It was all that was available." Pepper wasn't convinced, Rick could be spiteful, but this was his own child.

"Are you hungry?" She asked

"No just tired."

They arrived back at Tony's house about an hour later, when they got to the garage Adam was passed out in the back seat. With the help of Tony she managed to get him over to the couch, he'd probably be stiff when he woke up but he needed the rest.

"_Hello?" _

"Rick it's Ginny, I just thought I'd let you know your son got home safe."

"_Good, I'm glad but did you have to call at 3am?" _

"Did you have to fly him back economy?"

"_I was teaching him the value of money. He can't expect to be chauffeured around on a private jet the whole time."_

"No, you're right but we can both afford not to make him suffer 18 hours in economy class."

"_We're not all living with billionaires Virginia. I can't afford the cost of sending him business or first at such short notice."_

"It wouldn't have been short notice if you didn't cancel…I don't care, good night Richard."

Adam woke up 12 hours later to Dummy spraying him with a fire extinguisher after he rolled off the couch.

"What the hell?"

"Dummy, what have I told you about the fire extinguisher? Good morning Adam…I think." Tony greeted.

"It is indeed morning Mr Stark, the time is 05:23am the weather is currently slightly overcast with temperatures at 66 degrees Fahrenheit. Sunrise is in approximately 1 hour and 8 minutes."

"You're up early Tony."

"Never went to bed, I tried but then I had this idea about suit calibration and how I could possibly sustain flight in outer-space."

"Cool story bro, but I'm exhausted I think I'm going to go grab a shower and bed."

Over the next couple of days Pepper remained angry at her ex-husband but got caught up in all of the back to school forms including the purchase of all the new items Adam would need since he was transferring schools, the night before Adam's first day at school Pepper lay in bed next to Tony.

"I can hear the cogs turning Pepper."

"I'm just making sure everything is ready. Can you cover for me in a meeting tomorrow with the wind farm people."

"I thought I told you calling them that makes me feel gassy."

"Tony…"

"Sure Pep, I'll cover for you."

**TBC…**

**So that was a fairly miserable chapter, I wanted to introduce Rick properly (and I really wanted you all to hate him) as well as the interesting relationship he'll be having with our favourite superhero. Sorry if Tony appears just a little OOC in this one.**

**Feedback is, as always appreciated be it positive or not. **

**The next chapter will be much more cheerful. I promise =p**


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm feeling some hate for Rick Potts right now =p Hope you enjoy this one. We meet the rest of the Cooper clan.**

**Sweet Home Nebraska **

"Pepper what are the plans for Thanksgiving?" Tony asked over dinner one night

"Um…" Pepper thought, she planned to go home but given Tony's relationship with her mother she wasn't sure

"Pepper Potts! This is a national holiday a time of family joy and you've always been so forthcoming with your holiday plans before."

"Well my mother called and invited us…"

"By 'us' I'm sure you mean, Adam and yourself." Tony added well aware of his

"Actually she said if you wanted to come you were more than welcome." It was a little white lie her mother's actual words had been 'I suppose you'll bringing that man with you'

"It could be nice me, you and Adam go out see your mother."

"Not just my mother it'll be the whole Cooper clan! My mother and father, brother and sisters…"

"Sisters you say." Pepper slapped him playfully when he said it.

"Relax Potts you're the only one I'm interested in." Further conversation was cut off when Adam stormed in to the kitchen covered in cuts, bruises and dried blood, Pepper immediately launched in to concerned Mother mode.

"What happened?" She asked

"Nothing"

"You're covered in blood don't tell me it's nothing."

"I tripped." He tried

"That's crap."

"Seriously Mom, drop it."

"Adam…." He stormed out of the kitchen before Pepper could finish her thoughts, she was going to follow but Tony laid a gentle hand on her arm.

"Leave him Pepper, he's got a bruised ego. I'm sure he'll talk to one of us when he's ready."

Tony was right, it was late when Adam snuck down to the basement to work on the car.

"You wanna tell me what happened?" He asked

"Not really."

"Your Mom is worried about you."

"It's just guys at school, it's nothing." He kicked at one of the tires, causing Tony to wince slightly.

"It's clearly something." He had a thought and stood walking over to where he was working on new gauntlets for the suit. "Follow me."

He secured Adam's hand in to the gauntlet, leaving it attached to the table "Don't move" he told him before lining up various bits of scrap and old jars for smashing before attaching a cable to the reactor in his chest. Helping Adam support the gauntlet he led him to where he'd set up.

"Ok I want you to open up your hand and flex it nice and wide." Adam did as he was told "Good, now if you push your hand forward you should feel a button in the middle and the repulsor should fire." Adam did and the burst of light shot out of the gauntlet vaporising a large chunk of metal.

"Awesome." Adam breathed out

"Yeah it is." Tony agreed for a few more minutes they fired off the gauntlet blowing things up, Adam had to admit, it made him feel better.

"I was waiting for the bus and some guys, uh, I think they were seniors or something asked me if I was the kid whose mom was dating Iron Man." Adam began and Tony had a feeling he knew where this was going.

"So I said yeah, and then you know cus you're you and you've got this reputation they started to say stuff so I shoved one of them and they didn't like it so they held me down and kicked the crap out of me basically. I did get one punch off though, pretty sure I heard this guy's nose break, I'll have to thank Happy for teaching me that one."

Tony nodded, the press had finally managed to get proof of his relationship a few days ago and Pepper had been concerned about people saying things to Adam. "People are assholes sometimes kid, but don't worry about it. Try not to get in anymore fights, it makes your mom worry she already worries about me getting in to fights with people. You know the truth and that's what matters."

"I suppose, I just don't want people talking about my mom like that."

"People are gonna talk, right up until they realise how serious I am." Tony pondered for a moment "You want to blow some more stuff up?"

"Hell yeah." Adam responded so they did, until Pepper came down anyway.

"It's gone 11! Adam you should be in bed, you have school in the morning." Pepper told them both sternly, Tony disconnected him and Adam got in the elevator up to his room.

"We should probably hit the hay too." Tony said.

"Oh no Tony Stark! Don't you think you'll get away with not having the conversation as to why my child was blowing things up in the workshop."

"He was just working out some anger, better than getting in to another fight."

"He told you." It was more of a question than a statement.

"Pretty much, no real details but he was defending your honour Pepper."

"Someone said something to him."

"Don't worry we talked about it, no more fights."

"It was kids at school right?" She asked "I'm going to talk to the school in the morning."

"Pepper you can't do that, whining to the principal because of a fight is like point number 1 in big bold lettering at the front of 1000 ways to get your kids ass kicked."

"What did you talk about?" She asked, accepting he was right.

"Guy stuff Pepper."

"It's true Ms Potts, Mr Stark offered some very wise advice to the young Mr Potts."

"Really Tony? Wise Advice?"

"I promise Pepper no more fights, although I may have Happy teach him some more self-defence moves."

She didn't have a response "So thanksgiving in Nebraska?" She asked instead.

"Are you inviting me to have thanksgiving with the whole Cooper clan?"

"I think you've proved your worth."

"Well then it's a date."

"If you're sure. You do know my mother and probably my father hate you right?"

"I'll charm their socks off Pepper don't you worry."

2 weeks later Tony, Pepper and Adam were in the jet flying out to Nebraska.

"So run my through it again." Tony asked

"Ok so there's my Grandma Liz and Grandpa Bill." Adam started

"Got it." Tony thought, this is the easy part.

"Then you've got Uncle Ray, he's the oldest and Auntie Julie, and then the twins Austin and Amber who are at college. Austin goes to Duke and Amber's pre-med at Johns Hopkins and then there's Jake he goes to a military academy."

"Ok so far so good."

"Then there's Aunt Samantha, that's mom's older sister and Uncle Joe. Their kids are called Eleanor, she's my age and Lucas."

"Ok who's next?"

"Well technically mom but I think you already know her." Adam joked eliciting a smile from both Tony and Pepper. "Then you get Aunt Maddy, Uncle Joe and Noah and Billy."

"Tony nobody expects you to be able to remember everybody straight away."

"I want to learn." He argued "Can't give your mother anything to hold over me."

The ding indicating that seatbelts were required as the plane made its rapid descent in to Lincoln Airport, Pepper left Tony and Adam waiting whilst she went and collected the car from the rent-a-car place.

"A Chevy Impala Pepper really?" Tony looked at it with disgust, it was so average for the man who wouldn't drive it unless it came with a V8.

"Yes Tony, get in the car."

"No I'm driving."

"Tony…"

"Pepper, you've already gone a rented the most un-Stark like car imaginable you could at least let me drive it."

"The cars under my name not yours, when you trash it…"

"They'll put it on display 'Wrecked by Tony Stark' you're the CEO Pepper I'm sure you can afford to buy them a new crappy car." He said as he slid in behind the wheel of the 2009 Chevy Impala.

The drive, in which Tony moaned about the car for most of the way, to the small farm that Pepper's parents lived on was just over an hour outside of Lincoln.

"You grew up here Potts?" Tony asked as they pulled up to the farm.

"Not really, we used to spend the summer up here, we lived in Lincoln. Mom taught kindergarten and Dad worked as engineer at the Amtrak station. When they retired they moved up here permanently."

"I could totally see you as a farm girl Pepper, have you got a barn? Maybe we could sneak up there later…" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively

"Dude! Not cool!" Adam liked Tony but didn't need to see him actively hitting on Pepper.

They drove up the drive parking behind the many other cars "I guess we're the last to arrive." Pepper mussed as they got out of the car and rang the doorbell.

It was Liz who opened the door "Virginia! I was getting worried!" It was a little after 8pm that they'd finally arrived, between Iron Man and getting ready to shut down Stark Industries for the holiday (all SI employees were off on Thanksgiving, the Friday and the weekend that followed).

"Sorry Mom, we just had some business in LA to take care off before we could fly out."

"Never mind come in." She stood to the side to let them in. "Hello sweetie." She kissed Adam on the cheek as he went past, then came Tony carrying the bags. "Hello Tony." She may have been smiling but there was no warmth in her voice when she said it.

"Nice to see you too Liz" He flashed the Stark smirk at her.

"Just leave the bags there, we'll sort them later." Tony did as he was told and then followed Pepper in to the large family room, where the whole Cooper clan seemed to be catching up.

"Ginny, finally you're here!" A woman quickly came over and hugged Pepper tightly.

"Hello Sammy!" Pepper hugged her sister back "This is Tony my boyfriend." It felt weird introducing him as such to her family.

"The famous Tony Stark we meet at last!" The woman shook Tony's hand, before beckoning over her husband. "This is Joe my husband."

"Professor at Harvard Law correct?" Tony asked as he gave the man a firm handshake.

"That's right, shaping the legal minds of tomorrow." Pepper and Tony talked to her sister a little more before a light tap on the shoulder made Pepper jump.

"That always gets you Aunt Ginny."

"I didn't realise you were majoring in ninja Austin."

"Mechanical engineering actually." He smiled

"At Duke?" Tony asked, Austin an engineering student was a little shell shocked by Tony Stark a god in their chosen field standing in the den of his grandparents' house.

"Y-yeah, um focusing on aerodynamics."

"You'll know Ken Hall then right?"

"Professor Hall, yeah he's my faculty advisor." Austin said

"He was my TA at MIT, great guy tried to steal him for the SI aircraft division, but he wanted to spend his whole time in academia."

"He turned you down Tony?" Pepper joked and he ignored the barb

"What drew you to aerodynamics?"

"I like race cars, jets anything fast really."

"My kinda guy, you secured a summer internship yet?"

"No."

"Really, it's all about the internships kid. You want one at Stark Racing? Working with the race dynamics guys?"

"Seriously?" Austin was pretty excited now

"Yeah why not, Pepper you'll get it sorted right?" Pepper just nodded. They spent the rest of the evening schmoozing with her family, Tony meeting all of her brothers, sister, nieces and nephews.

"Where's your dad Pepper?" He asked realising it was the one Cooper he'd not met.

"Behind you." A voice said.

"Bill Cooper." Pepper's father held out a hand for Tony to shake.

"Tony Stark."

"You any good with cars Mr Stark?" The man asked

"I'd say so."

"Good, I need help. Ginny sweetheart grab Austin, that boys an engineer he should be able to help."

"And Adam." Tony added, Pepper nodded and after the boys had been located they were dragged off towards the garage to help Pepper's father on his mystery project.

"I can't get it to start, and I'm not as young as I used to be." He said pointing at the car.

"What is it?" Adam asked

"It's a '55 Ford Thunderbird." Tony said quietly, this was the first car his mother had owned as he loved it, she kept it long enough to teach Tony how to drive it. After the accident it was sold off along with the other things that reminded Tony of his mother, something which recently he'd come to regret (he blamed Pepper for his new found nostalgia).

"I got it all restored the last few years, I want to sell it but can't get the damn engine to work."

"Do you mind?" Tony asked pointing at the hood.

"I didn't ask you in here to look at it!" Bill Potts pointed out, Tony and Austin looked at the engine.

"What do you think Adam?" Tony asked him

"It looks like it's missing a few parts and that part of the engine is corroded." Adam said, his older cousin looked impressed

"Cuz when did you get good with cars?"

"Tony's been teaching me."

"Engineering lessons from Tony Stark? Hello MIT!" Austin joked, Adam seemed to consider the idea for a moment.

"So you're telling me it needs replacing."

"Yeah, total replacement nothing is going to run on that thing." Tony pointed out.

"Damn, that's going to cost an arm and a leg."

"I'll give you $25,000 for the car right now." Tony said

"You want to buy it?"

"I love this car, new engine that shouldn't take long at all. So yeah I'm serious 25 grand for your car Mr Cooper." Tony held out his hand.

"I'd be a fool not to take that." Bill Cooper shook his hand

"Excellent." Tony said as he let go of Pepper's father's hand.

"We should go back to the party before my wife hunts me down." Bill pointed out, agreeing that Liz Cooper was not a woman to be messed with. When they got back upstairs Pepper was shocked when Tony handed the check for $25,000 over to her father telling her he'd bought the car from him.

That night when they lay together in bed quietly talking (Adam was on an air mattress on the floor lightly snoring)

"So you've been making friends." She told him

"Charming the pants off the Cooper's was the plan."

"You really shouldn't have promised Austin that internship, there's a huge wait list for Stark Industries summer programme."

"It's Stark Racing not SI…"

"Semantics Tony."

"No, SI is the primary sponsor of Stark Racing. It's not an affiliated company, unless of course you count the names." Tony turned to face Pepper. "Stark Racing is my baby, not my fathers."

"Still it's a big thing to promise. I don't want you forgetting."

"I won't I need them to like me Potts."

"You're really intent on getting them to like you."

"Need to, when I try and convince you to become a Stark, I need them on my side." He kissed her lightly on the lips. "Goodnight Pepper, we've got a big day tomorrow! It's Thanksgiving."

**TBC…**

**I've decided to split this chapter in to two otherwise it's going to be obscenely long I fear. The rest of the Cooper Clan will be introduced in the next chapter. I hoped you enjoyed this one, let me know your thoughts. It's fairly simple there's a little button says review! All feedback (including the negative) is appreciated!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry for the delay, although to be fair the only reason you're getting this chapter is because I don't feel like packing to move out of my apartment (seriously when I did get all this stuff).**

**Thanksgiving Pt. 2**

After their midnight conversation Pepper found it hard to sleep, Tony on the other hand fell asleep straight away and woke earlier than Pepper. He was the type who couldn't handle just lying in bed with nothing to do, so he crept from the bedroom and downstairs in search of coffee.

"Good morning." A voice said as he walked in to the kitchen, it startled him until he remembered where he was and who the voice belonged to.

"Good morning Liz." He replied cheerfully, fully aware the woman did not like him. At all.

"You're up early." She told him suspiciously

"I'm an early riser."

"Really because when I came to Malibu we rarely saw you before midday."

"I was in my workshop." Tony countered

"Wow! Did I walk into a CIA interrogation?" The voice belonged to one of Pepper's sisters.

"Good morning Madeline." Liz greeted and the woman grimaced.

"Maddy Smith, I think we might've briefly been introduced last night." She held a hand out to Tony.

"Tony Stark."

"Ginny's big bad billionaire boyfriend?" She asked

"Something like that." Tony said

"Tony what do you have in your coffee?" Liz asked

"Just coffee." He said jokingly

"Black then?" Liz asked again

"Yes please." Please wasn't a word often found in Tony Stark's but it made a rare appearance today. Liz handed him the cup full of coffee and announced she was going to take a cup to Bill leaving Tony and Pepper's sister alone in the kitchen.

"So Tony Stark what are your intentions with my big sister?" Maddy asked

"Uh…"

"Relax she's just joking." A man entered the kitchen carrying a small child and placed a kiss on Maddy's cheek.

"Good morning Tony." The newcomer greeted

"Good morning, it's Dave right?" Tony responded

"Yep and this is little Billy." He indicated to the child he was still carrying as he moved to put him on a chair.

"I'm allowed to question the man, Mom hates him, so clearly he's done something wrong."

"Wow! Disliked immediately by Liz Cooper, that takes skill."

"He just has that effect on people." Pepper had finally made her way downstairs, she reached for his cup of coffee and took a long drink from it.

"That's mine." Tony stated

"I don't care." She said first

"Sharing is caring." Maddy added and Pepper laughed and started to fuss her nephew.

"They're so much cuter when they're this little. Just wait 10 years and he'll be a teenager and all the crap that comes with that."

"I'm not that bad am I Mom?" Adam shuffled in to the kitchen

Tony missed Pepper's retort as his phone buzzed, a phone call from Fury, he went in to the hall to take it.

"Bit early for making Happy Thanksgiving calls?" Tony said

"_I'm not calling to wish you holiday cheer, we've got a situation in Mexico."_

"You really need me? Pepper's mom doesn't like me and blasting off to another country a couple of hours before dinner seems like a really bad way to get her to like me."

"_I don't care about your personal problems. I care about people trying to replicate the technology in your suit, like the drugs Cartel who plan to use it to protect their shipments and cause problems for the police and their rivals."_

"A simple please would've worked."

"_Don't test me Stark, just suit up. The quicker you do the quicker you'll be able to have your perfect little dinner."_

"Fine, but if I miss it you owe me a big ass turkey dinner with all the trimmings."

"_Agent Romanov will meet you there." _After that Fury hung up, uninterested in whatever witty retort Tony had planned for him.

He walked back in to the kitchen, which was now full of a few more people including Pepper's 10 and 9 year old nephews and her parents. He turned to Pepper "I need to leave, Fury gave me a mission, it's only across the border I should be home for dinner."

"I put the case under the stairs."

"Leaving Tony?" Maddy asked

"Duty calls." He said, Pepper had disappeared and returned with the red and gold case, he walked out in to the garden followed by the curious Coopers. He put the case on the floor stamping on it and the suit began to fold it's self around him. He flashed a grin to the two boys who were staring in shock as Iron Man suited up in their grandma's back yard and blew a kiss to Pepper just before the face mask came down.

"Stay back." Iron Man said to the two boys and then he was gone, shooting off in to the sky.

"That was so cool!" Noah, Pepper's 9 year old nephew, said to Maddy, who was more interested in the concerned look on her sister's face.

"I know it was like the coolest thing ever!" The 10 year old Lucas said.

"I heard an explosion what's going on out here?" Samantha had come down.

"Mom! It was Iron Man! He flew off you missed it!" Lucas said to his mother, Pepper laughed quietly of course the boys would be excited.

"Ginny are you ok?" Maddy laid a hand on her sister's shoulder.

"I'm fine I just worry when he blasts off like that."

"He built that thing with the case?" Bill Cooper asked

"Yeah, he worked on it for ages! He used it at Monaco too." Adam said

"He carries it around with him?" Liz asked "That seems irresponsible."

"He needs to, if not he'd never be able to go anywhere he'd need to stay at home" Pepper said

"It still seems like its inviting trouble." Liz still disapproved at Tony's second job.

"Where did he go?"

"He didn't say, he'll tell me when he gets home." Pepper was beginning to get frustrated at her mother's attitude.

"How can you stand when he just leaves like that, no idea where he's going or when he's coming back."

"I don't like it Mom, but it's what he does and I'm proud of him! He's doing good in the world and just because I don't like it doesn't mean he'll stop. I'm getting really sick of your constant griping at him! Just give him a chance mother, because he's not going anywhere! He told me last night he wants me to marry him and I'm saying yes with or without your blessing." Pepper took a deep breath as she finished her rant and an uneasy silence fell on the group.

Pepper looked at the shocked faces of her family and walked back towards the house hoping that nobody would see her cry, she went back to her old room and sat on the bed before the tears began to fall. A short while later her father knocked on the door.

"Ginny, its dad can I come in?" Bill called through the door.

"Virginia please." He tried when he got no answer he was going to leave when he heard the door click and he pushed it open cautiously.

"Your mom's upset." He told her

"So am I."

"She just wants what's best for you."

"He is what's best for me." Pepper said.

"Well you've got to see it from your mother's point of view, you've been together for a couple of months, but before that you spent 10 years working for him and she remembers the calls home where you're crying about how much of an ass he is."

"I know, but when he came back from Afghanistan he'd changed. He's trying to do right by everybody and he's so good with Adam, he actually cares which is more than I can say for Rick…"

"What's Rick done?" Bill suddenly turned very serious, if there was one thing Bill Cooper did not like was the man who broke his daughters heart and he the idea that he was abandoning his child disgusted him.

"He's not doing anything, that's the problem. They hardly talk since he's moved and when Adam goes to visit they argue or they don't talk. Tony makes the effort he talks to Adam, lets him work on the cars pretends to care about things like skateboarding or surfing."

"Have you said this to Rick?"

"I try but he's not interested in hearing it."

"You can't cut him out of Adam's life, but if Tony's the better parent then let him be there for Adam." He thought for a moment "You really do love Tony don't you."

"I really do."

"Then don't worry about your mother, I'll talk to her."

"Do you like Tony dad?"

"I don't know, he's good to you and he's good to Adam so in that way yes, he bought the car. I've not talked to him though so I don't know. I'm not going to let your mother make my mind up for me." Bill Cooper hugged his daughter, who now seemed a lot happier than when he walked in the room.

The rest of the day passed quietly for Pepper, she helped her mother prepare the food and watched the parade with the kids, her worry about Tony slowly increasing throughout the day.

"Ginny will we be waiting for Tony? Dinner is nearly ready." Liz asked, she hadn't really spoken to Pepper since their argument.

"No it's fine we can start." Pepper wasn't going to hold up her family's dinner waiting on her superhero boyfriend.

"Ok well it'll be ready in about half an…what's that noise." Liz listened to the noise curiously but Pepper recognised it as the noise of repulsor's firing to stabilise Tony's flight.

"It's Tony." She hurried outside as Tony landed in the Iron Man suit in a less than graceful heap on the ground.

"Are you ok?" She knelt beside him, and the facemask popped open, she placed a light kiss on his lips.

"I'm ok, a little sore, just let me get this off." He reached for the button on his neck, hissing in pain as he tried to reach it "That might be broken." He mumbled in reference to his shoulder "Can you help me?" Pepper complied putting her finger on the small release button and the damaged suit began to fold back in to the case.

"You need to go the hospital." Pepper stated

"It's thanksgiving" Tony tried

"I'm thankful you made it to dinner, but Tony you've broken your collar bone you need to go to hospital."

"But I was really looking forward to dinner."

"We'll have some when we get back." Pepper pulled him (using his good arm) to his feet and turned to her family "I'm taking Tony to the hospital." They walked passed her family and through the house.

When they returned from their hospital visit, Tony Stark arriving in the ER had caused a minor stir when he'd arrived and after he'd been x-rayed, told he had in fact broken his collar bone and had been fitted with an awful blue sling it was after midnight by the time they made it back to Pepper's parents where they found two plates of food wrapped up waiting for reheating.

Pepper warmed the food whilst Tony sat at the small table in the kitchen.

"This is what I wanted for Thanksgiving." Pepper said putting the plate down in front of him. "Me, you and Adam a quiet dinner just us three."

"Why didn't you say?" Tony asked

"You seemed to like the idea of coming out here."

"You suggested it." Tony pointed out

"Technically you brought up the idea of coming home."

"Next year we'll do Thanksgiving in Malibu." He says

"Excellent, no broken bones this time?"

"Can't make promises Pepper."

"Nice quiet Thanksgiving just us." Pepper thought dreamily about the idea.

"Well some of the time, but we'll have to talk to your family eventually."

Pepper slapped his good arm. "Tony!"

"I was kidding, just me, you, Adam, JARVIS, dummy, butterfingers and I suppose Rhodey." He listed and Pepper laughed.

They left Nebraska the next day, Liz Cooper more tolerant of her daughter's relationship and he'd received Bill's blessing to marry Pepper although he had been told if he hurts either Adam or Pepper there will be hell to pay.

"So that was fun." Adam said as the plane was flying back towards California. "We should do it again sometime."

"See Pepper, he agrees with me!"

**TBC…**

**And thus ends another chapter! As I already said, this moving stuff is getting in the way, I'm also on a 2 week "vacation" with the youth organisation I volunteer with from Saturday, although nothing about the trip says vacation to me and it's all in tents, and the there's no wifi! **

**I put in less Tony/Adam interaction I thought it'd be nice to see other characters for a change. Thoughts are always appreciated! **

**Also moving out of a flat, don't actually have anywhere to move in to! Is that weird? **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N Sorry this took a while, but I'm all moved out and back from my vacation so I'll try and get these up before I go back home for a few weeks and things get all hectic again =P **

**So Grounded**

Adam was lounging on the sofa in the front room channel surfing, of course he'd rather be actually surfing however he found himself grounded. It was (officially) the first week of the winter break that Adam had been celebrating for a week prior, it is safe to say that Pepper when she found out had not been impressed. Adam was now confined to the house and banned from the pool and workshop.

"I'm pretty sure your mom also said no TV" Tony said, causing Adam to fall off the sofa in shock. He turned around to see Tony chuckling.

"Don't tell?"

"How long are you banned from the workshop from?" Tony asked

"I got another week yet." Adam huffed

"Well I know for a fact, that exactly…" Tony checked his watch "…15 minutes ago, your mother left for New York, there was a last minute board meeting called and she needs to be there." Adam smiled "Temporary work release?" Tony suggested and he could swear he never saw Adam move that fast as he flew towards the workshop stairs.

They'd been working for about 10 minutes when JARVIS announced that Pepper was calling.

"Answer the call JARVIS but let's just keep it to voice no video." Tony instructed

"ADAM POTTS GET OUT OF THE WORKSHOP!" Pepper's shrill voice yelled out.

Adam and Tony looked at each other, the look conveying the question 'how did she know?'

"He's not down here Pepper!"

"Don't lie to me Anthony Stark! JARVIS called me and told me he'd violated the terms of his punishment!" Tony was about to answer when she continued "And don't think I don't know it was your idea!"

"How did you get him to do that?" Tony asked

"That is not the issue at hand here Tony! Has he gone upstairs yet?"

"Leaving now mom!" Adam called as he hurried up the stairs.

"Pepper…"

"Don't Tony. I was trying to teach him a lesson, I can't have you undermining the parenting decisions I make."

"I'm just trying to help"

"Well then act like a parent instead of his best friend!"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, if he's done something wrong tell him, or if he's trouble don't let him do something he'll enjoy him. Act like a grown up Tony!" She sighed "We'll discuss it later it Tony."

"Ok. I love you, see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah tomorrow Tony." She was about to hang up "I love you too." She added quickly and cut the connection between the two.

"Did you and mom fight?" Adam asked when Tony emerged from the workshop a short time later.

"No, but no more workshop or TV." Tony said firmly.

"Sir there is an incoming message from Director Fury." JARVIS announced, Tony huffed and instructed the AI to connect the call.

"Cap'n Fury, how be yee? Ya one eyed scurvy sea dog?" Adam snorted

"You're so funny Stark…"

"I do try."

"…This is not the time for humour. We've got a situation in Russia that requires immediate…"

"Is there anyone else who can handle it? There's no one to supervise Adam."

"Babysitting aside Mr Stark, I'm sure that fancy house of yours can make sure the kid doesn't kill himself. Or you could call someone…"

"I'll have the hot chick that babysat Tony!" Adam called out

"Can you get Natashalie or whatever it is she goes by these days over?"

"Don't test me Stark! Are you going to suit up?"

"Yes dear."

"Fine. I expect you in Russian air space in the next few hours" Fury cut the call off and Tony left to get suited up. When Adam heard the familiar sound of his suit blasting off he grinned and began to formulate a plan.

"JARVIS! You there?"

"For you Mr Potts? Of course."

"What are the limitations of what I can or cannot do given my current 'grounded' status?"

"Ms Potts has told me to contact her if you; leave, enter the work area, watch the television, use the pool facilities or try and access your Facebook account or use your cell phone."

"Are there anything else that would require you to call my mother?"

"Apart from certain situations relating to Mr Stark I would be required to call your mother if you became seriously ill or wounded."

"Thank you JARVIS." He thought for a moment "Would you bring up my twitter account please?"

"Yes Mr Potts."

Adam looked at the twitter screen projected on the wall and began to use the coffee table keyboard in front of him to type.

'_PARTY AT MY PLACE! 2 HOURS! BE AT STARK MANSION OR BE SQUARE!" _

Adam felt proud of himself. "JARVIS order 5 pizzas and charge them to the house and let's get tunes started!"

"Sir I think throwing a party is against your mother's wishes." JARVIS tried in vane

"She didn't specifically forbid it, so don't call her. That's an order JARVIS!"

Three hours later and it appeared a large portion of the Malibu High School student body was there and the party was going strong. Outside people were trying to leap from a balcony in to Tony's pool. The liquor cabinet had been raided, one girl was throwing up in the water feature and Adam was currently lip locked with a girl (a drunken high school senior) on the couch having his first kiss/make-out.

"What the hell is going on here?" A voice called out causing Adam to shoot up from the couch, James Rhodes was stood in the room. "Cut the music JARVIS." The music stopped instantly and the crowd booed. "EVERYONE OUT NOW!" He yelled and the room cleared quickly.

"Uh, hey Colonel Rhodes!" Adam said.

"Don't hey Colonel Rhodes me, kid." Rhodey said sternly. "Your mom called, said you were home alone, and although alone may not be the right words."

"I'm sorry I just thought it'd be some friends…"

"Just get it cleaned up before Tony and more importantly your mother get back."

Whilst Adam cleaned he dialled Pepper on his cell phone.

"Hey Pepper."

"_Hi Jim, are you at the house yet?" _

"Yeah just got here, listen…"

"_Oh my god what happened?" _

"Nothing Pepper, it's just when I got here Adam had some people over."

"_There's something else isn't there!" _

"It was kind of a party…"

"_How can it be kind of a party?" _

"Well it wasn't Tony bad but it wasn't pretty."

"_I am going to kill him." _

"Do it in the morning, he's cleaning up right now."

Rhodey ended the conversation and helped Adam clean stuff up, getting JARVIS to keep a record of exactly what was broken. Adam went to bed about midnight and Tony arrived home about 3am.

"Hey platypus what are you doing here?" Tony asked causing his friend to wake up with a jump

"Don't call me that." He yawned "Pepper, called apparently she didn't think it was a good idea for her child to be hanging out home alone."

"I'm sure he was fine."

"If you call having a massive party fine. They've emptied your liquor cabinet of that scotch you like and the rum…"

"Why is the rum gone?" Tony asked doing his best Captain Jack Sparrow impression.

"Tony…"

"Sorry, I'll um…talk to him."

"I'm going home." Rhodey sat up and started to slip his shoes back on.

"It's late Rhodes, just go crash in a guest room."

"Thanks man." Rhodey turned towards the stairs.

Adam came downstairs about 11am and saw Tony sat at the counter. "Morning Tony."

"Is it still morning?" Tony joked "Oh you're um…grounded for another week."

"What the hell dude?"

"The party last night."

"Yeah cus you can talk about partying."

"Yeah well I'm an adult you and your friends, if the people who showed up were your friends."

"Whatever dude."

"No, not whatever! This is my house there's…rules."

"You're not my father! You can't do this!"

"Yes he can." Pepper had returned home unbeknownst to either of them and had watched the whole exchange

"MOM!"

"No Adam, you can't throw a huge party and expect to get away with it. You'll be paying for the damage yourself out of your allowance."

Adam stormed off back upstairs and Tony's gaze followed him looking concerned. Pepper walked over to him placed a light kiss on his lips.

"Well I knew that would happen eventually." Pepper said. "You did good Tony."

"I just feel bad, he's right, I'm not his dad."

"No but you're a better father than his real one. Don't be scared to punish him Tony, you're a part of this family."

"I don't want to be the douche-y step-dad though."

"Not possible." She kissed him again. "You're allowed to be the grown-up sometimes."

Tony wrapped his arms around her. "I'm a grown up? When did that happen and how do I make it stop?"

**TBC…**

**Not too long, just something to keep you all going. Another (longer) update in a few days I promise. **


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N So I wrote this in July, the last chapter promised an update in a few days. Sorry about that, between moving, summer work for uni and my actual job I've not had too much time to update. **

**Merry Christmas Ms Potts**

After Thanksgiving Pepper's mother became more tolerant of her relationship with Tony, although this didn't mean she approved of Tony, just accepted that it was happening. For Adam though having Tony as part of his life was brilliant and this is why in his last basketball game before the winter break he was able to catch the site of Tony, hot dog in hand, sat in the bleachers watching the game, cheering him on.

After the final buzzer went, Adam's team having won, he found himself in the passenger seat of Tony's R8 speeding towards the private runway at Stark Industries. Pepper was at a board meeting in New York and Tony and Adam were flying out to for the weekend. The box from the pizza they'd bought on the way to the airport was sat on the small table between them "So what's the plan for Christmas?" Adam asked

"I'm not sure." Tony replied honestly, all he knew was that this year it was Pepper's turn to have Adam over the holiday period.

"What are you going to get my Mom?"

"What do you think I should get her?" He asked

"No way bro, don't think you get an easy out on this one."

"Come on Adam, help me out here!" Tony pleaded, for the last couple of Christmases he'd just given her his credit card and told her to buy something nice for herself, but clearly as her boyfriend that wouldn't work.

"I dunno I was just gonna get her a necklace." Adam shrugged

"Jewellery?" Tony thought

"Yeah, I've been saving like 10 bucks out of my allowance every month since September."

"Forty dollars?"

"Yeah you can get a pretty nice necklace at Macy's for that."

The conversation didn't really help Tony , who settled down on the couch and began to play COD with Adam until the flight made its descent in to La Guardia.

Pepper was waiting for them when they disembarked the jet, she hugged Adam first before kissing Tony.

"Did you win?" She asked him.

"Of course we did!" Adam told her. "I also made the little league team this year."

"Well done honey!" She said as they walked over to the car where Happy was waiting to take them to Tony's New York penthouse. When they got in the car, Pepper found herself yawning and her eyes began to close.

She awoke to Tony poking her "Wake up boss lady."

"Sorry, you know how those meetings are." She said as she undid her belt to get out of the car.

"Why do you think I never went?" Tony quipped as he led her in to the swanky Upper East Side building.

"God I need a vacation. I don't think this weekend will cover a full recharge." She moaned as they walked off the elevator.

"I thought I was the only who ran off batteries." He joked despite her glare.

Tony found Adam watching TV later that evening.

"I think I've found the perfect gift for your mom."

"Oh really?"

"A vacation, a real one not a weekend off in New York where she'll be doing work anyway. I'm thinking the whole no phones, no emails, no clo…meetings."

"Gross dude, that's my mom." Adam didn't miss the fact Tony was about to say 'no clothes'

"No irritating kids!"

"Aww Tony I thought you liked me."

"Nah, I like your mom not you." The seriousness in his voice was betrayed by his grin. "On a serious note though, do you mind maybe not coming?"

"On your secret sex getaway with my mom?" Adam asked the thought visibly disgusting him. "No, Tony I don't want to come."

"Great, where should I take her?"

"Bro you need to do your own homework. I'm going to bed." Adam stood and left, once again leaving Tony to struggle with where to take Pepper Potts.

… … … … … … … … …

It was Christmas morning in Malibu and the mansion was quiet with the one noticeable exception; Tony Stark was up and about and waiting for his girlfriend's son to wake up.

"Will you calm down Tony! You're like a child." Pepper mumbled from behind her coffee mug.

"Sorry Pepper, but it's…" he looked for the watch he'd yet to put on "JARVIS time?"

"The time in Malibu is 07:13am the weather outside is…"

"Frightful?" Tony enquired

"No sir, but may I congratulate you on your wit?"

"You may." Tony told his AI "You could also wake Adam."

"NO! JARVIS, leave him sleep."

"Of course Ms Potts."

"Peeeeeeppeeeeerrrrrrr." Tony whined.

"Mr Potts is awake." JARVIS announced and five minutes later Adam shuffled in to the kitchen.

"Finally." Tony stood and walked out, leaving a confused Adam and an exasperated Pepper in his wake.

"What's his problem?" Adam asked

"He likes Christmas." Pepper told him

"Mom you're dating a weirdo." Pepper nodded in agreement and followed Tony's path.

Under the tree there was an assortment of gifts, Tony sat on the couch waiting for them.

"Excited Tony?" Adam asked

"Yep." He replied as he stood and moved towards the present pile, grabbing the first one, a small thin box, and tossing it to Adam. "This ones from me."

Adam pulled the paper off and looked at the stack of tickets. "It's two tickets to every remaining dodgers home game, first row right behind home plate."

"Awesome! Thanks Tony." Adam then handed Tony the gift from him. He watched as Tony unwrapped the four remote control F1 cars including the Stark Racing one. "I figured mom would be mad if you tried to race one again."

"Thank you Adam." Tony put the gift down and instructed JARVIS to have the bots create the track markings for the Monaco circuit and then watched as Adam gave Pepper his gift, a small silver necklace. After Pepper finished hugging her son, Tony was handed his gift from Pepper.

"I wasn't sure what to get you so…" Tony cut her off with a kiss.

"I love it, thank you." She'd got him a new watch and given him a copy of the planning approval for the new Stark Tower in NYC, it had been an idea that Tony had discussed with her and now she was going to make it his reality.

There were a few more gifts, ones from family and friends that were opened over the next hour. They included a bottle of Tony's (very expensive) favourite scotch from Rhodey and a set of homemade jumpers from Pepper's mother. Adam also managed to get himself X-Games tickets from his mother and a new custom built surf board from Tony and Pepper as well as new baseball gear that had been sent by his father. It was then time for Pepper to open her gift from Tony, he handed her a card, the same thing he had done every single Christmas.

_Potts, _

_Merry Christmas! You know where my credit card is if you want to buy something nice. _

_Tony. _

_P.S. Of course if you don't want to buy something come see me later and I'll give you a gift ;)_

She looked at him in shock and then he started to laugh and handed her another envelope quietly whispering "gotcha!" before kissing her lightly.

She looked inside and saw the booking details for a trip to Venice for a week leaving on the second of January.

"Before you complain, I already had your assistant clear your schedule for the week and I'll be switching off your blackberry. The only calls that will get through to us will be from Rhodey who is babysitting Adam."

"I…thank you." Pepper said and kissed him and later that night Tony got the second part of his Christmas gift in the form of Iron Man lingerie modelled by the lovely Ms Pepper Potts.

… …. …. …. … … ….

New Years passed with a much smaller version of Tony's usual madness only a few choice friends were invited including some of Adam's friends and their parents.

Soon enough it was time for Pepper and Tony to depart on Tony's private jet.

"Don't let him stay up too late." Pepper told Rhodey "He'll spend all of his time in the workshop if you're not careful, make sure he does his homework when he gets home from school, actually you'll want to check he's going to school this semester. I've left the number for the doctor with JARVIS…"

"Pepper!" Rhodey yelled to stop her ranting "Relax, he's 13 how much trouble can he really get in to? I mean he's not Tony is he."

"I resent that Rhodes." Tony called from the car where he was waiting for Pepper.

"I love you." She hugged Adam.

"Yeah love you too mom."

**TBC…**

**Next chapter will include the vacation and what Adam gets up to without supervision =p**


	11. Chapter 11

**Ok, so I'm trying to update quicker so here we go. Priced up Tony and Pepper's vacation and its ****21,868 or $26,921.05 or £17,214.08 and that's just the hotel and spa treatments. **

**Venice **

**Day One- Tony and Pepper:**

Pepper was used to staying in extravagant hotels when she accompanied Tony to somewhere but usually she took a more modest (if available) room leaving Tony to his suite, however this time was different. This time Pepper was accompanying Tony as his girlfriend. Sure they'd been to Dubai but he'd owned a house there it wasn't overly different but this was the first vacation in a hotel they'd taken as far as Pepper was concerned it was a big step.

Pepper followed Tony on autopilot as they were led to the suite they'd be sharing for the week.

"Oh wow Tony this is amazing!" Pepper said as she looked around the room. She walked over to the window and gazed out across the water "Is that?..."

"The Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco otherwise known as St Mark's Basilica? Yep." He asked recieving a slighty contemptous glare from Pepper. "You can also see the Doge's palace."

"It's an incredible view." Pepper said softly, Tony's earlier arrogance forgotten.

"Only the best for you Ms Potts." Tony glanced at his watch "Shall we freshen up and grab so dinner Pepper? We've got an early start tomorrow."

"You've made a plan?" Pepper was shocked

"No, I had your assisstant book a morning of Spa treatments, we've got a couples package at 9am then you're having all that girly mani-pedi hair/face stuff done."

"How do you know what a mani-pedi is Tony?" Pepper asked, not bothering to hide the smile.

"I'm a man of extraordinary depth with a vast mind Potts. It's just something I know."

"This knowledge wouldn't come from the keeping up with the Kardashians collection JARVIS keeps for you?"

"There is no such collection Potts." Tony grabbed her arms and turned her towards the bedroom "Now, let's get ready for dinner. I suggest that we do the enviromentally friendly thing and share a shower to conserve water."

**Day One- Adam and Rhodey:**

"Dude when's the pizza get here?" Adam asked Rhodey as they sat on Tony's couch and played call of duty

"I dunno it'll get here when it...dam it! I hate campers...it'll be here soon."

"I'm hungry."

"Yeah, well I'm dead." Rhodey said as his character once again met his end on the screen.

**Day Two- Tony and Pepper**

"How was your facial?" Tony asked as a visably relaxed Pepper found him waiting in the hotel bar for lunch.

"Amazing, I can't even remember what it was I was worrying about." She slid in to the seat opposite him.

"Good, that's the point." He handed her a glass of champagne "Now, I've got us a Gondola ride for this evening what would you like to do all day?"

"You're really leaving it up to me?" Pepper was shocked, they'd been to Venice before but not as a couple and Tony hadn't really fancied doing anything Pepper had. "It'll be boring and cultured."

"You can make it up to me later." Tony said with a wink.

"You're really ok with me picking?" She asekd again "Because I'd really like to visit the Guggenheim museum, and I know how much you enjoy modern art."

"Pepper, this is your vacation. Whatever you want is fine with me."

Tony would later regret that sentence as they wandered the halls of the museum with the currator who had taken it upon himself to give a guided tour when he heard Tony Stark was coming. Tony however, felt left out as Pepper had ignored him in favour of discussing the art with the man giving the tour. They left the museum as it was time for Tony's gondola ride.

They sat listening to the man sing as he guided them through the canals and Tony kissed her as they passed under the bridge of sighs.

"That was the Ponte dei Sospiri." Tony told her after he broke their kiss "It's also known as the bridge of Sighs, it connects the Doge's palace interrogation rooms with the new prison, it's name comes from the fact prisoners would sigh as it offered them their last view of Venice before imprisonment"

"That's lovely Tony."She sarcastically responded.

"Hey, the bridge may not have a nice past but according the local legend if you kiss as you pass under the bridge at sunset then you'll have eternal love and bliss."

"That's so sweet." Pepper looked up at the sky and sure enough the sun was setting. "How do you know all this?"

"The guy in the gondola told us after Rhodey and me accidentaly kissed as we went under it." Tony mumbled whilst Pepper errupted in uncontrollable giggles.

"Eternal love..." Pepper mused having finally stoped laughing long enough to form a sentence "I can't belive I'm going to have to put up with you for all of eternity."

"You better believe it Potts." He said as he once again wrapped his arms around her.

"So does our kiss cancel out the one you shared with Rhodey?" She giggled as she said it.

"Way to kill the moment Pepper."

**Day Two Adam and Rhodey:**

"Are we getting Pizza again tonight?" Adam asked

"We can't eat pizza all week." Rhodey told his as he flicked through the takeway options JARVIS had

"Why not? Mom and Tony are eating Italian all week."

"There's a difference between eating D'Amores pizza and eating authentic food in Venice."

"It's both Italian is it not?" Adam countered

"Well yes but...how about steak?" Rhodey tried

"I can live with steak." Adam agreed

"Cool, so steak and then I've got work to do."

"I'll be in the workshop."

"If I didn't know you were Pepper's kid..." Rhodey joked and Adam grinned.

**Day Three Tony and Pepper:**

"We spent all day doing what I wanted, you can pick today." Pepper called Tony as she finished getting ready.

She didn't know he was right behind her "We did what I wanted all night." Tony said softly, grinning at the blush that appeared on Pepper's face and neck.

"Tony..." She warned

"Sorry" He told her but he wasn't. "What about we just wander through all the markets and boutiques? Hit up the Caffè Florian for lunch and then some more exploring and the Millevini wine cellar and we spend the night in?"

"Sounds perfect." Pepper walked over and kissed him.

**Day Three Adam and Rhodey**

"Dude where's your babysitter?" Jack, Adam's best friend asked him as they played call of duty and ate pizza

"He had to work tonight." Adam was focused on the screen

"Do you wanna go out?" Jack suggested

"Out where?"

"A load of kids from school are going to Santa Monica Peir..."

"How are we going to get there?" Adam pointed out the flaw in the plan

"We drive?" Jack suggested

"Neither of us have a licence."

"I thought Tony taught you?" Jack hit pause

"He did, but neither of us have a car."

"Didn't you say he has like 10 in the garage?"

"I dunno..." Adam was unsure

"Dude, come on! We'll go down and we'll head back up, when the babysitter arrives in the morning he'll know nothing about it."

"Ok lets go!" Adam had JARVIS switch off the TV and told him Rhodey wanted not to be disturbed at work.

"Dude!" Jack called as they entered Tony's workshop

"Which one do we take?" Adam asked

"The Saleen S7 is pretty sexy." Jack pointed at the Orange car

"Get in bro." Adam grabbed the keys and climbed in the car and they took off speeding up the drive and down the PCH towards Santa Monica.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ..

"Colnel Rhodes you have a phone call." Came over the PA system as Rhodey monitored Californian airspace. Rhodey picked up the phone.

... ... ... ... ... ...

Adam knew he was in big trouble, as did Jack who was sat on the police bench next to him.

"Hi, I'm Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes I'm here for Adam Potts." Adam looked up when he heard Rhodey's voice and saw him talking to the officer on the desk.

"Sure, I'll take you to him now." The police officer escourted Rhodey over to the boys.

"Colonel Rhodes..." Adam began

"Save it Adam, we'll sort it later." Any further conversation was cut off by the arrival of Jack's father and a police sergeant.

"Listen, we're letting the boys off with a warning this time. We didn't arrest them so there's nothing on the record, but next time they wont be so lucky."

"What happened?" Jack's father asked

"They went for a joyride in a car belonging to Tony Stark, an officer saw them climb in to the car by the pier and pulled them over."

"What happened to the car?" Rhodey asked

"We've impounded it for now." The sergeant told him.

"Is there anyway to get in released?" Rhodey asked

"I'm sorry sir, but the car needs to be collected by its registered owner and the impound fees paid."

"The registered owner is out of the country..."

"I'm sorry sir but that's the law. You're looking at $200 dollars once you inculde all the fee's and the tow charge and it'll be an extra $50 per day the car is impounded."

... ... ...

"I'm sorry." Adam said from Rhodey's passenger seat.

"I'm gonna drop you back at the mansion, then I need to get back to work."

"Ok."

"You're not going out for the rest of this week."

"Are you gonna tell my mom?" Adam asked

"I'd like to avoid it, but I don't think I've got a choice."

"Mom's going to be pissed." He whined

"So's Tony, he loves that car and you got it impounded." Rhodey told him unsympathetically.

**Day Four Tony and Pepper**

Tony blinked as they walked out of St Mark's Basillica, they'd just completed the tour of the historic cathedral, Pepper had been fascinated whereas Tony found the whole thing rather dull.

"What's next boss?" He asked her.

"Since we're here I was thinking we tour the Doge palace and that should take us up to dinner, then back to the hotel to change before the show?"

Tony nodded and grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the Doge Palace stopping for photographs with some Iron Man fans before hand.

Later that night Tony struggled to stay awake throughout the opera Pepper had dragged him to. He was trying to be a good boyfriend and let her pick what she wanted for this vacation. 'The next one is going to include bungee jumping, fast cars and no operas or palaces dedicated entirely to meeting rooms' he thought. Perhaps Pepper would take pity on him and let him pick tomorrows activities.

**Day Four Adam and Rhodey**

"Can I go down to the workshop?" Adam asked

"No." Rhodey didn't even look up from his laptop as he said it.

"Why..." Adam whined

"You're grounded."

"But I figured out how to fix the exhaust on the hot rod."

"You stole his car."

"Borrowed." Adam muttered

"Seriously kid don't push me on this. You're lucky I love your mom and Tony enough to not call them and tell them what happened." Rhodey stared at Adam as he said this. "Go get ready for school."

"Dick." Adam muttered as he walked up the stairs.

**Day Five Tony and Pepper**

"So Ms Potts what do you have planned for today?" He rolled over and kissed her as they lay in bed

"Well we've got this absolutely gorgous suite that we've hardly seen, maybe we can spend the day here." Pepper whispered in his ear.

"I'm liking your thinking Ms Potts."

**Day Five Adam and Rhodey**

"Suspended?" Rhodey was shocked, he'd been back at school for 2 days and had gotten himself suspended.

"It wasn't my fault."

"Run that by me Adam." Rhodey's exasperated tone seeping through

"The toilet wasn't supossed to explode." Adam argued "It was just meant to smoke a little and set the alarms off to get us out of math class!"

"You didn't mean to make the toilet explode?"

"No!" Adam yelled "Why would I want the toilet to explode?" He sounded so much like Tony that Rhodey did a double take.

"How do you cause this much trouble?" Rhodey asked

"I dunno, it just seems to find me. It's not like I do it on purpose."

**Day Six Tony and Pepper**

"I like what we did yesterday. It was perfect." Tony said as he lounged on the bed watching Pepper get ready. "Although perhaps we need to run a test make sure it wasn't a fluke."

"We could, or you could get dressed. I've got a surprise for you." Pepper told him.

He looked at her skeptically "A surprise?"

"You'll enjoy it. I promise no culture involved, it's very you."

"Does it involve flying suits?" Tony tried to guess

"No, but areodynamics are involved."

"Does it involve flying?"

"Nope." Pepper was enjoying this. "Get dressed."

"Not until you tell me what we're doing."

"Tony, don't act like a child." She lightly rebuked him

"You're not my PA anymore, you can't boss me around." He challenged poking his tounge out at her.

"I'm not your PA I'm your girlfriend and I think you'll find I can."

Pepper eventually managed to get him dressed and they walked towards the hotel's boat slip.

"Ms Potts?" A man approached them

"Mr Della Franca?" The man nodded.

"Tony meet Enzo Della Franca, he's the lead engineer on the Martini Power boats." Tony shook the mans hand

"Mr Stark, we've brought this seasons boat for you to test drive." Tony's face lit up like christmas.

"Pepper!" He was ecstatic, so this wasn't going to be a completly cultured holiday afterall.

"Well, I felt bad and I knew it was happening so I made a call. You'll do a lap of the lagoon with the team driver then you'll take over for a few laps."

"Potts, if I didn't love you before, I definetly love you now!" He kissed her then scrambled off to drive the boat.

After a few hours of Tony messing with the boat and getting in to the specs and convincing Pepper that Stark Racing should branch out in to power boating they spent the last full day of their vacation walking the streets of Venice together.

**Day Seven**

Happy pulled up in front of the mansion and Tony and Pepper both got out of the car and walked in.

"Hello!" Pepper called out.

"Hey!" Rhodey walked over and hugged them "How was your vacation?"

"It was amazing, I completely forgot why I was so stressed out in the first place." Pepper told him

"I can think of a reason." Rhodey muttered

"It's not always my fault Rhodes." Tony said hugging his friend

"Yeah..." He started but was cut off by Pepper

"Where's Adam?" She asked looking around for her son

"In his room working." Rhodey took a deep breath "Whilst you were away..."

"Oh God, what happened?" Pepper panicked

"He got suspended..."

"HE WHAT!" Pepper wasn't worried. No, now she was just mad

"That's not all of it." She looked at him. "He took one of Tony's cars for a joyride..."

"Oh God which one?" This came from Tony

"The S7."

"That car is hand built! Tell me she's ok." Tony begged

"The car is fine, she's at an impound lot you need to go pick her up." Rhodey turned back to Pepper "They got pulled over by the cops, but he's ok he got off with a warning no arrest or charge on his record."

"I will kill him." Pepper muttered quietly.

"Tony, wanna ride to fetch your car?" Rhodey asked "I've seen that look, that's the look she had when you announced you were Iron Man. We don't wanna be around for this."

Tony nodded and followed Rhodey towards the door "Rhodey?"

"Yeah Tony?" Rhodey looked at his friend

"I spent thrity thousand dollars on destressing Pepper." He grinned "A minute's conversation with you and it's all ruined."

**TBC...**

**So Adam's a wild child, I wanted him to be the anti-Pepper and cause trouble but not in a way that'll make you all hate him. If this behaviour continues we may see the reappearance of Rick (dum dum duummm). Feedback is, as always, appreciated I like reading your opinions. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Really sorry this took a while, I moved in to my new house and we've yet to set up internet (when did everyone start securing networks?!) So here's the next chapter and a little bit of bromance!**

**Untitled New Chapter**

"So when do you think it'll be safe to go back?" Rhodey asked as he drove Tony to pick up his car.

"I dunno, the last time I got arrested she was mad for days. I hid in the workshop." Tony shuddered at the memory.

"Technically he wasn't arrested, just detained."

Tony chuckled "I'd love to see him try and make that argument to Pepper." Rhodey had to agree if Adam tried that excuse on Pepper he probably wouldn't live to see 14.

"So how was Venice?"

"It was great full of naked Pepper and museums, naked Pepper…"

"Tony! I don't want to know!" The last thing he needed to hear about was his friend's sexcapades with his girlfriend.

"You asked." He replied glibly. "Yeah we went on some tours of the old stuff looked at some modern art went on a gondola ride kissed under the bridge of sighs…"

"I thought that was our thing." Rhodey cut in feigning hurt

"I thought we agreed to never speak of it." Tony shot him a look the little half grin gave him away though. "So whilst I was busy spending a small fortune trying to calm Pepper down what were you doing whilst her kid was getting arrested?"

"Hey man, we've had this conversation he wasn't arrested just detained there's a legal difference. For the record I was at work, you may want to try it out some time."

"Leave you with one job Rhodes…"

"Hey he gets himself in to trouble with or without supervision. He was at school when he got suspended…"

"Makes a change. How did he get suspended this time?"

"It wasn't for skipping it was for throwing a cherry bomb down a toilet and it exploded."

Tony couldn't help but laugh as he heard this. "I'm guessing they were just going for some smoke?"

Rhodey shared Tony's grin "Yeah."

**Meanwhile at the Mansion…**

"I don't see how this is my fault." Pepper had her hand on her forehead trying not to scream.

"_Because Virginia, he's under your supervision. You're meant to be making sure he's not doing things like getting kicked out of school or arrested."_

"He was suspended Rick not kicked out."

"_Like it makes a difference." Her ex snapped down the phone._

"Well he behaved fine until his father left for the other side of the world."

"_Don't blame this on me... He was great until Tony Stark got involved."_

"You're not seriously blaming Tony for his behaviour."

"_**Yeah! Tony has nothing to do with it!" Adam's voice cut in to the conversation.**_

"Adam get off the line, I'm trying to talk to your dad."

"_This hero worship has to stop Adam; he's no good for you."_

"_**Point of order dad, Tony is a superhero…"**_

"Adam! Get. Off. The. Line."

"_**But you're talking about me!"**_

"JARVIS cut his connection." Pepper said trying not snap

"_**Mom tha…" JARVIS complied with the request and cut the call off.**_

"_Listen Ginny if he doesn't stop fucking up, I may have to rethink his living arrangements…"_

"Don't even think about taking my child…"

"_It's for his own benefit." Rick said coldly "One more fuck up."_

Tony arrived back to find Pepper crying on the couch. "Pepper?" He walked over and put his arm around her.

"I talked to Rick…"

"What did he do now?" Tony felt himself getting angry at the man.

"He wants to take Adam." She started crying harder.

"I won't let him." Tony was already making a mental note to call his attorney. He stayed and comforted Pepper until she stopped crying and then went to find Adam.

"Hey Tony." Adam said nervously.

"My cars fine." He said sharply "but you messed up this time, really messed up."

"I know, but it's fine…"

"It's not fine." Tony cut across "Your mom talked to your dad and he doesn't think you should live here anymore."

"What!"

"It's ok if it comes to that we'll fight it." Tony sat on the bed "So your mom said since it's my car I get to pick your punishment…although you're still grounded till your suspension's up."

Adam looked him in the eye for the first time since they'd got back. "And?"

"You're gonna help Happy wash all the cars for the next month and one month no working on any of the cars."

"Seems fair." Adam said before standing, Tony looked at him filled with shock "I'm gonna go apologise to mom."

… …. …. …. …. …. … … … … … … …. … …. …. … … … … … … … … … … … …. …. …..

"What can I do for you Tony?" Tony was sat opposite his lawyer.

"I need you to recommend a really good family law, lawyer. I want them to be the best money can buy."

"It finally happened then?" He was referring to an illegitimate offspring of Tony's finally appearing.

"No, it's Pepper and her ex-husband."

"I didn't realise Ms Potts had an ex-husband."

"Yeah, they have a kid together he's 13 and her ex moved to Saudi Arabia now the kid's getting into trouble, long story short I want the kid to stay and so does Pepper."

"I'll need to talk to Ms Potts."

.. … … … … … …. …. …. …. …. … …. …. …. …. …. ….. …. …. …. …. …. …. ….. ….. …. ….. .. .. .. .. .. …

"Tony why didn't you tell me there was a giant robot?" Rhodey sat and watched as the armour was removed from his friend's body.

"We've been over this, I didn't need a sidekick"

"But Tony…"

"La la la la not listening to Rhodey any more la la la la"

"Grow up Stark."

"Jeez even the giant robot was more fun than you!" Tony whined

"Then why give me the suit?"

"Ok, you took the suit and I just let you hold on to it for me." Tony made his way over to the bar. "Besides you covered the suit in Hammer tech it's tainted."

"Tainted?"

"Yep." He downed the scotch in his hand.

"Why did you call me here, I'm a busy man Stark."

"I need a character reference, my lawyer advised me to get one."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing and it's not an issue at the moment but if it becomes an issue I want to be um…prepared."

"O...K." Rhodey decided not to push the issue and turned to leave the workshop

"I need another favour." Tony called and Rhodey stopped and turned to face Tony. "There's a ring, I need you to pick it up for me."

"Does that mean what I think it means?"

"Yeah." Tony poured another scotch

"Why didn't you do it in Venice?"

He downed the drink "Cliché" and went to look at the specs on the suit.

"Like that's ever stopped you."

"Sir, Agent Coulson of SHIELD is on the line he would like a debriefing." JARVIS announced.

"Crazy guy with a big robot, no longer a problem, pass the message on." Tony didn't even look up from his computer screen.

"I'm sorry sir but he's being insistent." JARVIS said again.

"Tell them I'm in the shower." He typed some things and went to follow Rhodey's path up the stairs.

"Agent Coulson is threatening to override my protocols."

"Fine put him through." Tony finally conceded defeat.

"Mr Stark…"

"Hiya honey!" Tony cooed

"Mr Stark, but director Fury is requesting a full debrief on the situation."

"Big robot, I blew it up it's simple. However if he's desperate for my company I'll have my assistant Miss Rushman set it up for you."

"Very funny..."

"Thank you I'm here all week. Goodnight." He had JARVIS cut the call and he went upstairs to find Adam watching TV and Pepper lounging on the couch.

"Pepper what are you reading?" He asked peering over her shoulder

"A book."

"What book?"

"Fifty Shades of Grey, it's about a billionaire and this young woman he corrupts…."

"True story then."

"It's mommy porn." Adam piped up from the couch

"Mommy porn?" Tony was intrigued.

"Yeah all the girls at school are reading it. It's totally weird all about kinky sex with a creepy dude."

"Why have I not heard about this book?" Tony enquires

"Not your type of book."

"Sex with a hot billionaire? It's about me, how is this not my type of book?"

"How do you know he's hot?"

"It's a romance book, I'm sure he's dashing." Tony cut her off.

"This billionaire actually runs his own company, shows up at the office and everything and he has his women sign an NDA he's the opposite of you." Pepper was still reading a skill she'd perfected over the years.

"Sounds like a drag, how about you come upstairs with a billionaire superhero instead?"

"I'm right here bro!" Adam called from the couch.

"Actually I think I'm going to take Mr Grey to bed instead." She folded the page and stood up. "Adam, you have school in the morning."

"Who is Mr Grey?" Tony followed her upstairs.

"These people are weird." Adam said and followed the path of Tony and Pepper.

.. … … …. …. …. ….. ….. ….. …. ….. … …. … .. .. .. .. .

Tony's Audi screeched to a stop outside of Adam's school.

"So how about a semester without a trip to the principal's office?" Tony asked as he got out of the car.

"I'll try." Adam grinned at Tony.

"I'll pick you up after practice; I need your help with something." Tony closed the window and took off down the road.

**TBC…**

**Whatever could he need help with? **

**Today I discovered one-click buying on amazon and the amazon app for iPhone, this can only be bad…**

**Feedback is appreciated! **


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry for the delay I'm in my final year of university and I've had a lot of work due (plus I arranged my deadlines to be in closer to the start of term). **

**The Proposal**

"Tony get out of bed!" Pepper demanded looking at her sleeping boyfriend

"No." He pulled the comforter over his head.

"We have a board meeting in two hours!" She was getting exasperated even her 13 year old son wasn't this bad in the morning.

"I'm ill Pepper." Came his muffled response.

"No you're not." She kept her frustration from her voice.

"I have pink eye." He poked his head out of the covers.

"No you don't." She had to give him credit, pink eye was a new one.

"Yes I do!" He opened his eyes "Look! My eyes are all red."

"It's called a hangover Tony, now get up and get ready." Pepper moved to the closet and laid out a suit for him.

"I'll have to wear a patch. I'll look like a pirate." He tried.

"I'm sure you will. Will that be all Mr Stark?"

"For now Miss Potts it will be." He grinned; convinced he'd won this round.

"Excellent, Happy will be here at 9am sharp to pick you up." And then she left her heels clicking as she moved down the hall, he vaguely heard her shout "ADAM! GET UP!" She went.

No. Tony Stark had not won this round.

He did however make it to the board meeting much to Pepper's surprise; she was already formulating excuses for him when he strolled in to the meeting room took up his chair next to Pepper and pulled out his phone.

"Shall we begin?" He asked as he opened the Angry Birds app.

"No patch?" She whispered as the chairman of the board began talking. Tony just quietly chuckled in response.

Pepper was as shocked as the rest of the board members, that Tony Stark himself had walked in to a meeting apparently of his own free will and remained, albeit not paying too much attention, for the whole meeting.

"I have to admit I wasn't expecting you to show up." Pepper told him as they left the meeting.

"Of course I showed up." Tony smirked at her. "I needed you to agree to dinner tonight." He kissed her briefly before turning in the direction of the R&D department.

…. … … … … …. … …. …. … …. …. …. …. …. …..

"So run it by me again." Adam said as he sat in the passenger seat of the Hot Rod whilst Tony lay on the board about to wheel under the car to tweak some stuff.

"Well I'm going to take your mother out to dinner and then if it's cool with you I was going to ask her to marry me."

"It's cool with me." Adam says after pondering for a moment.

"Good." Tony said as he slipped under the car.

"You were going to ask he anyway right?"

"Yep." Tony's muffled response "You're young you would've adapted." Adam chuckled at Tony's response.

Any further conversation was cut off by the clicking of Pepper's heels as she walked down the stairs silencing any further conversation between Tony and Adam.

"I thought you were still banned from working on the cars?" Pepper asked Adam who was still being punished for taking Tony's car for a joyride.

"I'm just hanging out, no car work being done." Adam responds.

"Hmmm." Pepper wasn't sure she believed him, she'd check with JARVIS but she was more interested in the pair of feet sticking out from the bottom of the car.

"Tony, I thought we had plans?" She asked him.

"We do, but not till like 7."

"It's 6:30."

"Huh, another 15 minutes. Potts, um…Jr pass me a wrench."

… … …. … … …. …. … …. ….

Tony did indeed manage to get them to their dinner on time, he may have broken 15 traffic laws in the process but they made it unharmed.

"Duke's?" Pepper asked seeing the restaurant Tony had picked.

"Yeah it's like our place." He smiled at the host who escorted them to their table on the balcony. Tony was charming throughout dinner making Pepper laugh and even allowing the occasional fan to interrupt dinner without being a diva.

Tony put his fork down during dessert and looked at Pepper.

"Look Tony, just because I indulged in dessert this one time…"

"Actually Pepper I'd been thinking." He cut her off.

"Really? I'd assumed it was a regular occurrence for you, being a genius and all that." Pepper smiled at him.

"Actually I was thinking about us." Tony was still smiling.

"Really?" Pepper was surprised; he wasn't usually open to discussing their relationship especially in public.

"Yeah it's about you living with us." He took her hand in his and slipped his spare hand in to his pocket. "I know we agreed it was an experiment that you'd live there for a year and we'd see how it goes."

"Uh huh…" Pepper was confused.

"Well I was thinking about making it more permanent." Pepper smiled, he was asking her to move in, like she hadn't already.

"Oh really, how permanent?" She responded.

"Well, not necessarily permanent. I had a time frame in mind." He was trying to keep the smile off his face, for fear it would betray his true intentions.

"A time frame?" Pepper asked

"Yeah I was thinking…How does the rest of our lives sound to you?" He pulled out the ring box he'd hidden in his pocket.

"I…uh…." Pepper was shocked.

"It took 11 years but I finally made the great Pepper Potts speechless." He jibes and she kicks him lightly in response.

"You want to try being nice to me I might change my mind about my answer." Pepper's face had broken out in a huge grin.

"You never told me your original answer." He points out.

"Yes." She takes the ring box from him. "My answer is yes Tony." He leans across the table and kisses her, taking the ring box back and slipping the ring on her finger himself.

… … …. …. …. ….

They walk back in to the house Tony's arm wrapped around Pepper's shoulders.

Adam looked over from where he was sat on the couch. "Did you say yes Mom?"

"He knew?" She looked at Tony.

"I thought I should give him a heads up." Tony shrugged. "Hey kid, don't you think its bed time?"

"It's like 10pm!" Adam protests.

"Well your mom and I are going to bed." He removes his arm from Pepper's shoulders and takes her hand dragging her upstairs followed by a yell of "Not cool Tony!"

Tony pulled Pepper in to the bedroom. "Did you really have to say that to him?" She asked as he buried his face in her neck.

"He's a big boy he can handle it."

"You can handle his therapist bill." Pepper wasn't even thinking about the conversation.

"You're marrying a billionaire Pep; I think I can handle it."

**TBC… **

**There we go another chapter done, sorry for the delay things have just been really busy recently. I will try and update this soon. Expect an update for "The Journey" in a few days or so. **

**Leave your feedback. Positive or not I wanna know what you guys think!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Sorry it's been a while, I've had so much uni work to do and they just keep adding more…**

**Did you know that if you hit pause at the right moment on the Avengers DVD bonus features (the bit where Steve is looking at SHIELD documents) it tells you everything about Tony Stark, from his date of birth to his address and the schools he went to. **

**Anyway here's the next chapter and I hope you enjoy. **

**The Talk**

Pepper blinked as the sunlight filtered through her Tony's room catching on the diamond ring on her finger she smiled briefly before frowning, there were calls to be made and not all of them would be pleasant.

"I can practically hear you thinking." Tony mumbled before sitting up and wrapping an arm around her shoulders pulling her close. "Not changed your mind have you?"

"No, I was just thinking about who I need to call."

"Like who?" He asked. He thought it was fairly obvious who needed to be called, her parents and siblings obviously and Rhodey, but he'd handle Rhodes.

"Rick." She mumbled

"Ah…" Tony had forgoten about his number one fan. "He doesn't like me."

"No not really." She chuckled

"I don't suppose putting it in an email…" He began

"Not really appropriate." She tells him with a smile.

"How did he tell you he was getting remarried?"

"On the phone and then he expected me to tell Adam." She said, still a little disgusted by his behaviour.

"So…"

"Tony, I'll call him later. Now we have a full day so we need…" She was silenced by his lips

"…to take a moment. Jesus Pepper, I just got you to agree to marry me can I have…20 minutes show you how much I care?" He asks

Pepper just smiles and melts in to his embrace "Make it 10."

Tony rolls on top of her when there's a knock at the door "Hey mom, I'm going to be…" Adam freezes as he walks in the room and Tony immediately rolls off Pepper"…sick. I'm going to be sick." He makes a hasty retreat, whilst Pepper just pulls the covers over her head.

Tony looks down at his fiancé hiding under the covers. "Hey Pep are you coming out anytime soon?"

"No."

He chuckles "I thought we had a full day?" He prompts

"Don't care." Is her muffled response.

"Virginia Potts not caring about a full day! I never thought I'd see it." He pulls the covers off her. "Rise and shine Pepper we need to face the music."

It is twenty minutes later when a fully clothed Tony and Pepper make their way downstairs where Adam is awkwardly waiting for them on the couch. "Happy's here and I'm going to be late for school." He says quickly and quietly.

Pepper leaves to make coffee and Tony just stands looking at his soon to be step-son. "So about this morning…"

"Don't want to talk about it." Adam mumbles

"What your mom and I were doing was totally normal. When a man loves a woman sometimes they…"

"We are NOT having the talk!" Adam snaps "And we're not talking about this morning. Ever." He picks up his bag. "I'm going to wait in the car." He quickly leaves the room.

Pepper returns and hands one mug to Tony whilst she sips from her own. "Did you talk to him?" She asks

"Sort of." Tony shrugs drinking some of his own coffee.

"What do you mean sort of? Tony! We agreed you'd talk to him about this morning." Pepper snaps

"Hey, calm down. I will talk to him, just not whilst the image is so fresh in his head." He places a comforting hand on her shoulder and they finish the coffee in silence before joining Adam in the car.

After an awkward ride in the direction of school in which only awkwardly forced conversation is made whilst stuck in traffic Adam is dropped off at school and he leaves the car with a "Next time lock the dam door."

… … … … … … … …

Pepper tapped her foot and she stared at the phone. There wasn't usually much she couldn't handle, but this was a phone call she was not looking forward to making, Rick carrying out his threat of fighting for custody seemed to be more likely if she was marrying Tony. Rick and Tony had only met once and it had not gone well, but Pepper thought his determination to take Adam away from her, was less to do with her choice of man than Rick claimed it was.

"Get a grip of yourself Virginia." She chastised herself. "Just pick up the phone and call him." She hadn't been this nervous about calling Rick since she found out she was pregnant.

_**Flashback!**_

_22 year old Virginia Cooper sat on her dorm room bed her eyes darting between the telephone in front of her and the pregnancy test in her other hand. _

"_Hey Gin!" Her roommate Hannah bounded in to the room, Virginia jumped up pregnancy test tumbling to the floor in front of her. "What is that?" _

"_It's a…um…" Virginia stuttered before she started to cry._

"_Oh sweetheart, I know." Her roommate of 4 years wrapped her arm around her shoulders. "I've seen them, I'm studying to be a nurse remember."_

_Virginia only sobbed harder, her roommate continued to comfort her. "Is it that boyfriend of yours? You know…the one who goes to Harvard." Hannah asked and Virginia only nodded in response. _

"_You were going to call him before I walked in right?" Virginia again nodded. "Do you want me to stay whilst you call him?" _

"_Please." Virginia croaked out, as Hannah took her hand and Virginia waited until she'd calmed down enough to pick up the telephone. _

_She waited whilst it rang, somebody picked up the phone. "Hello?" The boy asked._

"_Is Ricky Potts there?" She tried to sound normal. "It's Ginny Cooper, his girlfriend."_

"_Uh, I'll see if I can find him." The phone was left to dangle and Virginia sat there, for what felt like hours but was probably only a few minutes. _

"_Hey babe!" Rick answered cheerfully._

"_Ricky…" Was all Virginia was able to get out before the tears started to fall again. _

"_Hey, hey Ginny what's the matter?" He asked sounding worried._

"_Ricky I'm pregnant." She cried down the phone only to be met with stunned silence. _

_**End Flashback.**_

This call wouldn't be as hard as the previous call, it was getting late in Saudi Arabia they were 10 hours ahead, but this call couldn't wait and Pepper punched in the number.

"**Potts residence, this is Bambi." Rick's current wife answered the phone.**

"Hello Bambi, its Virginia could I talk to Rick? Sorry it's so late." Pepper used years of practice to keep a neutral tone.

"**Oh sure! I'll just find him." Bambi disappeared and a few moments later she was replaced by Rick.**

"**What did he do now?" Rick sighed down the phone.**

"Hello Rick." Pepper said snidely, her ex-husband's attitude towards their son was starting to annoy her. "He did nothing, this actually about me."

"**Look, Ginny it's late and I…"Pepper cut him off.**

"I'm getting re-married." She said still keeping her crisp professional tone.

"**To him?" Rick asked**

"If you mean Tony, then yes." She just kept telling herself to remain calm.

"**I was hoping you'd see sense about that idiot." Rick shouted "My son isn't staying with him." **

"Rick can we…" The dial tone indicated he'd hung up. "…talk like adults." Pepper Potts calmly stood up and walked out of her office and down the hall to Tony's office. She walked in and was surprised to find him working, he was looking at the computer screen in front of him, furiously scribbling down notes and talking to himself. He looked a little frazzled, nothing like the cocky arrogant Tony the rest of the world saw.

"What's got you so flustered?" She asked

"I am Iron Man." He responded not looking up from his work.

"So you keep telling people." She jokes

"Iron Man doesn't get flustered." He stops and leans back rubbing his face. "It's Fury's secret boy band project."

"The what?" She asks

"He calls it the Avengers Initiative, doesn't want me a part of it but would like me to consult."

"And this Avengers project is what exactly?" She remembers

"Remember a few days after I kinda messed up Queens it disappeared from the news?" He asked and she nodded "Remember why?"

"There was that thing in Harlem with the giant green guy, but apparently it was all a hoax…"

"No it's a guy Dr Bruce Banner…"

"You were meant to work with him once but you went to Tijuana, took me 2 days to find you." He looked a little guilty at being reminded of some of his past behaviour.

"Bruce Banner got what should've been a lethal exposure to Gamma radiation, turned him in to a big green rage monster, he calls it the Hulk."

"So it wasn't just some clever camera trickery…"

"Nope, but anyway so we've got Banner and currently we're trying to figure out a way to de-ice an old friend of my dads…"

"I didn't think cryogenics was something your father would be involved in?"

"It's not. This guy went missing in 1943 crashed in the ice."

"He's still alive?" Pepper was shocked

"Yep, but Captain Steven Rodgers is not a normal…" Tony began

"Captain Steve Rodgers…Captain America?" She recognised the name from her youth.

"You've heard of him?"

"Ray" She was referring to her bother "and my fathers were big fans, had all the comics and we all watched the cartoons after church on a Sunday."

He grinned a little bit. "I used to watch those cartoons with my dad, they were friends during the war." He smiled sadly "It was chemical formula created by a German defector during the war, it's given him crazy powers and he's still alive but perfectly preserved. It's what I'm working on."

Tony looked at Pepper, she had no files and seemed a little distracted. He knew his fiancé she never came for a casual chat or just to see what he was up to and she wanted lunch, her assistant would call his. "Since when does Pepper Potts just come in for a benign conversation? " He asks.

"I called Rick." Her calm façade began to fade.

Tony stood and led her over to a couch. "How did it go?" He asks softly.

"I think…" She sobbed "I think he's going to try and take Adam from us." Tony fought back the urge to smile at the word us, yes Adam was Pepper's child with Rick but Tony loved him like a son and knew he felt the same. They were a family and nobody messes with his family.

"Not gonna happen Pepper." He said confidently before plucking out his cell phone and dialling the number for direct access to JARVIS. "JARVIS initiate protocol P."

"**Right away Sir." The AI responded before Tony hung up.**

"What is protocol P?" Pepper asks.

Tony just holds her tighter and whispers "You'll see."

**TBC…**

**So again I'm sorry for the wait. Hope you enjoyed it and feedback is, as always, appreciated greatly. I'm moving towards something (well two something's) can you guess what they are yet? **

**Hope to update soon, but they keep pilling the work on! Working on another story as well but that won't appear until all three of my current Iron Man WIPs are completed. It's a little similar to this and I'd like some feedback so if you'd like a little teaser for that PM me and I'll send one. **


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